Have you ever felt like everything around you is falling apart? Another crisis has come, bringing feelings of fear, hurt, and anxiety to the surface. Struggling with what is ahead, you have no idea how you will make it through. Can you have hope and joy even in the midst of a crisis? Habakkuk’s prayer – really a song – takes you through his fears of God’s judgment on Judah and how he worked through crisis and came out rejoicing.

Rejoicing? I don’t know about you, but I do not want to rejoice when I feel like the world is falling down around me. I feel scared, alone and powerless. My guess is you have shared similar feelings too. Habakkuk felt afraid, and he did the only thing he knew to do – he prayed.

“I have heard all about you, Lord. I am filled with awe by your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by. And in your anger, remember your mercy.” (Habakkuk 3:2 NLT)

Often through a crisis, we pray for help or deliverance, but in his prayer, Habakkuk begins with God. Coming from the first two chapters, Habakkuk has already come to the place of relying on God and remembering truth about Him. Asking God for mercy for the people, he continues to recall God’s acts from Israel’s past. He remembers God’s appearance on Mount Sinai, the plagues in Egypt, parting the Red Sea, God’s authority over life, creation’s response of praise to Him, and even when God made the sun stand still allowing Joshua and his army to be victorious in battle.

So, why does Habakkuk take time to bring up God’s power through these events? Feeling powerless and afraid, he needed to see the sovereign God in His power and glory as he waited for judgment to come. With this realization cemented in his mind, Habakkuk waits as joy starts to overflow within. While he does not know the end results or if he will even survive, Habakkuk does know his powerful God is in control. He chooses to continue to live by faith. This faith in God brings him to this beautiful resolve as he ends his song.

“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!” (Habakkuk 3:17-18 NLT)

Habakkuk concludes that even if he lost everything, and believing this is a real possibility, yet, even so, he’s going to have joy in God. Though everything is wrong in Habakkuk’s world, he comes to the place where he is leaping for joy over his fellowship with God. Though his circumstances and that of Judah seemed to have challenged the very promises of God and he is shaken, he chooses to live by faith.

Habakkuk’s journey of relying on God in a crisis is our example. When he remembered who God was, his continuing trust became a firm trust that led to worship and rejoicing in God. Though he did not know how his crisis would end, his heart overflowed with joy, because he knew with certainty he would never lose God.

Realizing Who is in control of your life and the powerful way in which God works, you’ll be able to be obedient to His plan. Though you feel shaken and powerless, as you walk by faith, you can rejoice knowing you are in the hands of your sovereign, all powerful God. Overwhelming joy will replace those feelings of fear and powerlessness. You are not facing your crisis alone! You are facing your crisis with your great, powerful, loving, ever-present God! Though you may lose everything, with God, you have really lost nothing.

So, can you rejoice when you walk through the most difficult time in your life? Be assured in walking with God by faith, you can have joy because you have God.