Dear friend, today we are going to meditate on Habakkuk 3:18. Here, the saint says, “Yet I will choose to rejoice in the Lord. I will choose to shout in exultation in the victorious God of my salvation.” In which situation was he saying this? In the previous verse, he says, “Though the fig tree does not blossom, and there is no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive fails, and the fields produce no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there are no cattle in the stalls.” There was nothing fruitful around him. Habakkuk describes how the invading armies destroyed the land of Judah. He couldn’t see any blessing around him. Yet he boldly says, “I will choose to rejoice in the Lord.” What a powerful worship that still strengthens our faith today. David said, “I have kept the Lord always before me.” It is easy to praise God when everything seems good, but it is very difficult to praise God when everything is lost.

Job says in Job 13:15, “Even though He kills me, I will hope in Him.” After losing everything, he still says, “I am holding on to God. My hope is in my God. Everybody can leave me, but my God is faithful. My God does not change. That’s why I still trust Him”. In the same way, many faithful people say, “Though my family fights, though my relationship is falling apart, though my money is lost, though my child is lost, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. Because even in the midst of trouble, the Lord is with us”. Nehemiah reminded the grieving crowd, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” It was a time of famine, yet Nehemiah called the people to rejoice, because he knew their Defender was with them. As Proverbs 24:10 says, “If we falter in times of trouble, how small is our strength.”

In the midst of your trouble, say to this world and to satan, “You can’t touch my joy. My joy is secure. My God is with me.” I heard a story of an old lady who kept praising God loudly while a pastor was preaching. Disturbed, the pastor said, “If you keep your mouth shut, I will get you new shoes.” When she heard that, she shouted again, “Hallelujah, shoes or no shoes!” Dear friend, keep on praising God. Everything may fall apart. Everything may be taken away. But our God will never leave us nor forsake us. The joy of the Lord remains. As the saint says, “I will choose to rejoice in the Lord. I will choose to shout in exultation in the victorious God of my salvation.” Rejoice and shout the glory of God. Job got back everything in double measure. Israel recovered after captivity. David recovered all as he rejoiced in the Lord. You, too, will recover all. Do not be troubled; Just rejoice in the Lord.

PRAYER: 
Heavenly Father, when everything around me fails, please teach me to choose joy in You. Even when I see nothing fruitful and feel no strength, remind me that You are still the God of my salvation. Guard me from fear and despair, and fill me with divine joy. Let my praise rise higher even in painful moments. I trust You, Lord, wholeheartedly, for You are unchanging and faithful. I rejoice in You alone. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray. Amen.