The Lord God Is My Strength

When I heard, my body trembled; my lips quivered at the voice; rottenness entered my bones; and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble.

When he comes up to the people, he will invade them with his troops.

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 fold,

And there be no herd in the stalls—

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.

Habakkuk 3:16-19

Tragedy can come in many forms – the loss of a loved one, an illness, the loss of wealth or our livelihood.

Although the prophet Habakkuk knew that tragedy was coming, it still struck fear in his heart. As he waited for the day when Babylon would invade the kingdom of Judah, his heart pounded, his lips quivered, and his legs trembled.

Fear is a legitimate emotion in the face of tragedy, but it doesn’t have to immobilize us. When we don’t understand the trials we are going through, we can recount how God has worked in history. That’s what Habakkuk did. It didn’t dispel his fear, but it gave him the courage to move on by choosing to praise the Lord.

Our God who has proven Himself faithful throughout the years is always with us. Because His character doesn’t change, in our fear we can say with a confidant voice of faith, “The Sovereign Lord is my strength.”

We can learn the lesson of trust in the school of trial.

Our Daily Bread – February 19, 2016