(by pastor Jean)
Habakkuk 3:17-18 was written during a time of disaster, it seems from these verses that nothing was stable and nothing could be relied upon – the fig trees and grape vines were not producing, there were no crops and the livestock were dying in the fields. That was a dire situation. However, despite all this, Habakkuk says in verse 18, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.” (NLT). Impossible, you may be thinking – how could he rejoice in the midst of such loss? Habakkuk was putting his trust in God, not his circumstances. Why? Because he knew God was faithful, He had performed so many miracles for the Israelites in the past and he knew He would come through for them again. Habakkuk made a decision to be joyful and to trust. Verse 19 of this chapter often gets overlooked. Habakkuk makes the bold confession that God is his strength and then goes on to say that “He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” (NLT). So, what has that to do with all the barrenness that he was just talking about? I think that he is saying that God will enable him to rise above what he is seeing in the natural realm and to focus on God because He has all the answers. (See also Col 1:1,2, Heb 12:2). He is getting his strength and resilience from God because he cannot solve all his problems in his own strength. If we do what Habakkuk did when we go through difficult situations then we will also share His victory (2 Cor 2:14).