What to do when everything is going wrong.

I have been reading through the minor prophets which are full of a lot of destruction and also the great promise of redemption, and complete restoration of Israel.  As I was reading these verses jumped out at me-so to speak.


Hab 3:16  When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. 
Hab 3:17  Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 


By all accounts everything is falling apart!  The fig tree isn't blossoming, the vines are not producing, the olives are worthless, the fields are not producing anything, the animals are doing horribly.  To sum to up: things are awful!!  But even the midst of it all there is hope!

Hab 3:18  Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 
Hab 3:19  The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. 


When life is falling apart at the seams we need to do what Habakkuk was doing-rejoicing in the Lord.  The Lord is our salvation and strength; and He will help us when life's troubles come our way!

Does our joy come from the things we have, or the things we do?  Without even a slight warning our world can turn completely upside down!  One day we are going about our regular routine, the next thing we know our house is destroyed in a fire!   If our joy is in those things-the joy has been destroyed.  If our hope and joy is in our Savior it doesn't matter what happens.  When anything and everything is going completely wrong we have an unchanging hope that can't be destroyed!  Let's make the Lord our joy and strength, and not rely on anything else-He will never fail us!