Habakkuk 3:17-18
Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls, yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!
Gospel Sharing
The Prophet Habakkuk in the Bible once faced the desperate situation of his country’s impending destruction and an imminent invasion by a foreign army. Yet, in the mire of "having nothing," Habakkuk made a transcendent declaration of faith: "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." His joy was no longer built upon the abundance of external circumstances, but anchored in God Himself.
For over a year, my career encountered many obstacles and setbacks, and I even fell into emotional confusion. At that time, my soul became a battlefield between angels and demons. My emotions were deeply troubled for an entire year, to the point where I had to pause my service with the gospel organization I regularly participated in. During that period, I chose to go into spiritual devotion and prayer alone, and I also stepped away from church activities.
However, I am grateful that there were many sisters in Christ around who cared for me; they even took turns serving as my "personal counselors." I originally thought that by reading the Bible and praying all by myself, the environment would eventually change. But facing a spiritual battlefield solely on one's own strength is truly not easy, so I decided to rejoin a church small group.
On the very last day of that year, I heard a hymn in my small group called "The Joy of the Lord is My Strength." As it came to a close, Habakkuk 3:17-18 appeared on the screen. At that exact moment, I suddenly realized: God had never left. He had been silently accompanying me when I was completely hopeless, and joy filled me in an instant. Furthermore, every single sister I met in the new small group was specially prepared for me by God, in order to lead me into another new stage of life. When people face difficulties, it is often also the very moment they are being molded by God "Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come." (Habakkuk 2:3)
When I read the Book of Job in the past, all I saw was suffering and sorrow, but now I realize he was incredibly blessed. His blessing did not lie in how much wealth he ultimately possessed, but in how he was able to "see God with his own eyes" after experiencing total deprivation, receiving double the grace beyond all he could ask or think. Job's faith "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away" proved that even after experiencing the immense grief of life-and-death separation, God remains the source who provides our satisfaction. The "emptiness" of our circumstances cannot define us, because within God's "abundance," sorrow will ultimately be personally comforted by His presence.
