Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the field, and there be no herd in the stalls yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18. NKJV
Did you read the above scripture? If the fig tree doesn’t blossom, that means there will be no figs. If there is no fruit on the vines, there will be no wine, no olives, no olive oil…and if the fields yield no food; then famine. These conditions would definitely test our confidence in God. As I read the book of Habakkuk I was struck with his honest discourse with the Lord.
Here was a man who had eyes to see the degradation of his country. They had fallen far from the reforms King Josiah had implemented and were openly offering sacrifices to other gods. He complains to the Lord: How long, O Lord must I call out for help? But you do not listen! Violence is everywhere! I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The Law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous so that justice has become perverted. Habakkuk 1: 2-4. NLT. Wow, that is quite a complaint to the Lord. Have you ever felt that way? Not just about our nation, but also for your own personal life?
The good news is God responds, but maybe not in the way Habakkuk hopes for. God declares He is raising up an even crueler and more violent people to deal with the Judeans, the Babylonians. This is a test not only of Habakkuk’s trust in the Lord, but of ours too. God is merciful and slow to anger. However, sometimes He uses what some have called “passive judgment.” He allows us and others to eat the fruit of our own actions. In the middle of their discourses, we find this encouraging verse: behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by faith. Habakkuk 2: 4. NKJV. The NLT expresses it this way: Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God. We can’t live a righteous life if we do not have confidence in our God.
I admit, reading the book of Habakkuk can be a bit discouraging until you get to Habakkuk 3: 17-19. It is here that the confidence he has in the Lord begins to shine. 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 will I 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. Can’t you just hear him declare his confidence in the Lord? This is a man who has decided to trust in the Lord His God. It does not matter what he faces. I want to grow into that type of confidence.
Let’s take a lesson from Habakkuk. First, let’s have an honest dialogue with the Lord. He took the time to share his heart with Him, but also expected to hear from Him. About three months after my husbands massive stroke I took time to assess things with the Lord. We had watched him answer so many prayers. He went above and beyond by even having an occupational therapist move in with us! My husband was now awake, could see and was beginning to learn how to walk again. Waiting on the Lord, still tired and in shock of my new life, I heard Him say. Things are going to slow down now. You will not see the same level of transformation outwardly, but things are changing. It will be like walking through desert places. The landscape will still look the same, but know that you are still getting places. I had to go back to those words so many times, because it did not look like we were gaining any new ground. I had to remain confident in the Lord, no matter what my eyes saw. It was hard.
Another step in growing in confidence is learning to take your eyes off your circumstances. It involves putting them on the Lord. Again, not easy, but doable. This is the time to dig deep in His Word. Studying Abraham, David, and Habakkuk and how they walked with Him through difficulties can increase your confidence in Him. If you really need encouragement, read about Joseph in Genesis 37. His brothers sold into slavery; he was falsely accused of sexual misconduct and then imprisoned! Then God elevated him to second in command in Egypt.
Taking the time to encourage yourself in the Word with God’s promises are another way to grow in confidence.
For God gave us a spirit, not of fear but of power love and self control. 2 Timothy 1:7.
Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you will go. Joshua 1:9.
So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do with me? Hebrews 13:6.
Reading and meditating on these types of scriptures will cause your confidence to grow in the Lord. You do not have to walk with a small, shaky foundation. We can stand confidently on the rock of our salvation. This is true no matter what the storms of life may bring. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. The just know how to receive it. They keep walking in confidence that their God is with them. The unjust simply complain.
Joseph’s trials brought him to a place of blessing and God’s purpose for his life. Our trials often do the same.
Father, I thank you for helping us to grow in knowing you, so we can become even more confident in You and Your ways. Forgive us for doubting Your character and Your promises. Teach us how to walk through difficult things, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Faith Encounters 