Daily devotional · April 22
Rejoicing Without Results
“Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold and no cattle are in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! GOD the Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer; He makes me walk upon the heights!For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments.”
Habakkuk imagines a bleak scene: no figs, no grapes, no olives, empty fields and empty stalls. In the ancient world that meant hunger. And yet he says he will still rejoice in the Lord and be joyful in the God of his salvation. His joy does not depend on a good harvest; it is anchored in who God is. He compares God to a strength that makes his feet like a deer's, able to climb high places. This is not denial. He has just spent two chapters wrestling with hard questions. But he lands on trust. Today, list the things you feel are missing or unproductive right now. Then, beside each one, write a short line of trust in God. Try to say it aloud. Let joy be a choice grounded in God's character rather than in your circumstances.
Prayer
God my strength, I choose to rejoice in You even when the fields are empty. Amen.