"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights."
Habakkuk 3:17-19
Disappointment - it is sure to find us at one point or another. Try as we may to avoid it, there is simply no getting around it. We, as believers, may understand conceptually that life is riddled with problems, ordeals, and setbacks, but often we struggle emotionally to grapple with it, and still maintain a resolute hope in God. It is easy to become pessimistic when it feels as though our world is crumbling around us. And it is easy to let the seemingly unstable circumstance cause us to shed trust in the Lord instead of securing it. But numerous accounts in Scripture affirm that faith is not the absence of pain or suffering, but rather the will to persist and praise God through pain and suffering. Of course, this does not mean we will always be able to make sense of our trial-laden situations, but it does mean that we can cling to the truth that God is in control of our affairs, and will bring about the appropriate outcome He has determined to transpire.
When I was a child I witnessed the mental and physical demise of my grandmother. Unfair as it felt, my grandmother was stricken with Alzheimer's. Sadly, I never really knew her before her cognitive faculties started to deteriorate. But I vividly recall how her memories faded a little more with every visit. And the culmination of this human tragedy was when I heard her ask my mother, grandmother's own daughter, one day who Mom was. But I share this personal experience because what stood out to me about it was the steadfastness and resolve of my mother, not the agony or grief that it caused. Nowhere in Mom's interactions with grandmother, or the lulls in between their discussions, did Mom ever exhibit anger towards God. If anything, the hardship only deepened her desire to walk in God's Word and pray for supernatural strength to tarry through the heartache. For instance, when I would mention odd statements that grandmother had made Mom would respond with uplifting recollections - recollections that highlighted grandmother's honorable, distinguished character, before the disease set in. Or when I would ask Mom how she was coping with the adversity she always found a way to point me to the Lord. Therefore, there was untold discipleship and mentorship in the conduct of my mother throughout the affliction. And it helped me understand that a deep devotion to God is a durable devotion for it can endure the greatest of disappointments.
The prophet Habakkuk certainly knew a thing or two about disappointment. He was frustrated with the pending demise of Judah and made sure to voice his complaints directly to God. The format of this short, but impactful, biblical book utilizes a question and answer format. Habakkuk, in remarkable boldness and perhaps audacity, candidly identified his concerns with the Lord, and the Lord responded. Habakkuk essentially begged the Lord to relent from sending Babylon's army to Jerusalem and destroying the capital city of Judah, but God confirmed that He would not relent from the forthcoming punishment. Judah sinned repeatedly and their time of reckoning had come due.
The tone of Habakkuk's two recorded complaints (chapters 1 and 2) denote the prophet's struggle to grasp why the Lord would let the nation meet such a sure downfall. But in chapter 3 Habakkuk turned from grumbling to glorifying. And this is commendable considering Habakkuk believed God could have exercised mercy and re-orchestrated the events that were to take place. Clearly, Habakkuk's prayer in chapter 3 reveals the depth of respect and reverence he held for the Lord. Even as the the world he had known for so long was falling apart Habakkuk still praised God. His joy was found in none other than the Lord. Although the prophet would have preferred that Judah's people be allowed to remain in their territory for an indefinite period he did not let his feelings disrupt, or destroy, his faith in God. Habakkuk realized that the Lord's sovereignty is supreme. And despite the fact that he did not have the means to comprehend the fullness of God's plan, Habakkuk still found reason to rejoice by recognizing the eternal, unbreakable leadership of the Lord.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 is especially moving. The prophet portrayed some rather gloomy scenarios: trees that do not grow, crops that do not flourish, and livestock that has died, or wandered off. And yet Habakkuk stated that even if should find himself mired in such circumstances he would still adore God. Why? Because God was the prophet's source of spiritual strength. Habakkuk's strength was not in storehouses. It was not in the state (of Judah). It was not in the sanctuary (the temple). No, Habakkuk's strength was in the sovereignty, the unending reign, of God. And this knowledge emboldened the prophet to give the Lord exaltation, even though his soul was vexed by the undeniable misery Judah was destined to meet. In short, Habakkuk's rock-solid, deep devotion to God trumped the temptation to wallow in despair. His faith was so real, and so relevant, that he overcame doubt and hurt and intensified his pursuit of the Lord's love and light.
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