Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. Habakkuk 3:17-19 NLT
In the challenges of life in our world, it is difficult to not be regularly disappointed by someone or something. The truth is, when it rains, it often pours. We find ourselves in a deluge of things gone wrong, drenched to the bone in things that are not the way we prayed or expected. Can contentment even exist in those situations?
Habakkuk says “yes.” This godly man didn’t deny his circumstances or pretend things were not actually as they seemed. He lists a stream of circumstances anyone would agree are fair to name catastrophic. All his crops have failed – the fig trees, grapevines, and olive trees. His fields are empty and barren. There are so few resources that his flocks have died in the fields and the cattle barns are completely empty. Sounds like not just a time for a lack of contentment to be simply understandable, but justified. How could a person respond any other way? He could have quickly moved from discontent to an utter lack of faith. It’s not that long of a journey.
But instead, Habakkuk declares that his contentment and ability to rejoice do not depend on his circumstances. He declares, “I WILL be joyful! God is my strength, and He will make me able.” He had ultimate confidence that God will never abandon His children, so he could be content.
Contentment is not brainwashing ourselves into thinking everything’s fine when clearly it’s not. True contentment is not waiting until everything is “fine” to be happy and satisfied right now. Contentment is knowing my faithful God is in control and He will never be in debt to me (Romans 11:35). It makes me hold things loosely and enables me to be truly generous with what I have.
- God, I want to be a realist with You. I want to see things as they are and remain content. I want to be so motivated that I am an eager participant in Your work to do greater things.