Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
– Habakkuk 3:17-18
The people of Judah were on their way into captivity, and Habakkuk was one of the prophets God used to deliver His message of judgment and repentance. God had to do something to stop Judah’s downward spiral of sin and disobedience. The nation needed to turn back to the Lord and begin to worship Him as their only God. Therefore, He allowed them to face captivity in a foreign land. As promised, Judah was invaded, and most of the people were deported to Babylon, where King Nebuchadnezzar ruled over them.
Like many of us, Habakkuk felt the weight of what was about to come, and he was not settled with the matter at all. In fact, he became anxious and cried out, “How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and You will not hear?” (1:2). As long as life runs along well, we rarely feel the need to ask God for help. However, the moment our skies turn dark and stormy, we cry out to Him.
You may have worshipped the Lord most of your life. In fact, you might consistently take time to be with Him in prayer and praise. But perhaps difficulty has come, and you wonder what you will do. Not all suffering is the result of sin.
It’s true that Judah needed a course correction to keep them from abandoning their faith. This wasn’t God’s desire for the nation He loved. Nor was it on track with His promise to Abraham and David. But other times, suffering prepares us for greater blessing. The storms of life may descend on us without warning, but God always has a rainbow in store for those who turn their lives over to Him and trust Him even in the most difficult circumstances.
