Habakkuk 3:17-18
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:
18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
We often find ourselves in situations where things seem to be falling apart. Maybe you’re going through financial struggles, a difficult season in relationships, or the loss of a job. Whatever the situation, it’s easy to feel like God is distant when everything around you feels like it's failing.
Habakkuk lived in a time of great turmoil, where destruction was normal and everything around him was falling apart. Despite this, Habakkuk chose to rejoice in the Lord. He didn’t base his joy on what was happening in his life or what he could see. He based it on the God who never changes. It’s easy to praise God when everything is going well, but God wants us to praise him also in times of distress.
The world teaches us to find joy in our successes, possessions, and accomplishments. But what happens when those things fade? The reality is that our circumstances will never stay the same. Abundance comes and goes, but our God remains constant. Habakkuk reminds us that even when the fig tree doesn’t blossom and there’s no fruit on the vine—even when everything feels barren—we can still rejoice in God.
Our joy is not rooted in what we have, but in who God is and what He has done for us through Jesus. There are times in life that feel barren, where it seems like everything we’ve worked for or hoped for has failed. But God is not absent in those moments. He uses these times to draw us closer to Him. He's constantly reminding us that our hope isn’t in this world but in his salvation.
Jesus already did the work on the cross to bring you into eternal relationship with God. This is the ultimate reason for joy, no matter what life throws at you.
I hope we can all rejoice in the word of God and the gospel of our salvation.
Lamentations 3:25-26 (KJV)
25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
We live in a world of instant gratification. I remember back when receiving packages in a week was considered fast. Nowadays we can't even wait 2 days before wondering if our package was lost in transit. The internet although fascinating and advanced has truly corrupted our psyche. We no longer have the patience for anything and it shows even in our children.
Patience is often mislabeled as passive or weak. We have tons of "motivational speakers" who tell us to go out there and make stuff happen. But in God’s kingdom, patience is a form of deep trust. It’s believing that even when things seem slow, God is at work. Patience builds spiritual maturity. In Hebrew, the word for "wait" is קָוָה (qavah), which means to wait with expectation or hope.
Patience is not just waiting; it’s trusting in the timing of the One who holds eternity.
Patience is about knowing that God will fulfill all that he's promised.
Patience isn’t about sitting still; it’s about standing firm in faith.
True Patience is rooted in Christ, not in circumstances. It’s not about enduring with our own willpower, it’s about trusting the One who has already completed the most important work. In Hebrew, the word for salvation is יְשׁוּעָה (yeshuah), which is also linked to the name of Jesus. True patience comes from the knowledge that Jesus has already accomplished our salvation on the cross. When we grasp that our salvation is secured by Christ’s finished work, patience becomes a natural response.
We aren’t waiting for something uncertain. We know that through Jesus, we have already received eternal life and a secure future.
This changes our whole approach to waiting patiently. It’s no longer about uncertainty, but about trusting that God is aligning everything according to His will. We often face moments where we feel like we’re stuck, whether it’s in a difficult relationship, a challenging job, or waiting for an answer to prayer. But God wants us to trust him by waiting patiently, enduring all trials with hope.
The Hebrew word for "hope" in Lamentations is תִּקְוָה (tikvah), which means not just waiting but expecting. When you wait in this way, you no longer think "I hope this works out", but rather, "I know God will fulfill His promise because He is faithful." You often hear me say do not have expectations, but we can expect one thing, that God will finish what he starts.
Patience is not just a character trait, it is rooted in the fruit of Jesus Christ. When we struggle with impatience, it’s often because we’re relying on our own strength and understanding. Jesus ultimately has to give us patience, but we also must believe that he already has. If Jesus died on the cross and gave us eternal life, why wouldn't he be able to give us something as simple as patience?
This is the key to biblical patience, believing that Jesus has already given it to us. Patience is the by-product of remembering that all outcomes are rooted in Christ’s finished work.
I hope we can live confidently knowing that Jesus provided us all the patience in the world. We can move with boldness knowing that we are waiting on the One who never fails. When people see you waiting with peace and confidence, they see the power of the gospel at work in your life. They see that your hope isn’t in circumstances but in Christ, and this kind of patience speaks volumes.
Patience isn’t about time; it’s about trust. Different T's.
Amen!
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (KJV)
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
Have you ever found yourself questioning God’s timing? Whether it’s waiting for a breakthrough, a job, a relationship, or even healing, we often feel like things aren’t happening fast enough. It’s easy to get frustrated or anxious when we feel stuck, thinking we should be further ahead or in a different place by now. But the truth is, God’s timing is perfect, and we are right where we need to be.
This verse reminds us that God has made everything beautiful in His time, not ours.
We often look at our lives and wonder why certain things haven't worked out yet or why we are still waiting on answers to prayers. But what we don’t always see is the intricate plan God has already set in motion. A plan that gives us an expected end and peace.
It’s important to remember that every step of your life has led you towards salvation, and every experience, whether good or difficult, has played a role in bringing you closer to God. Before you knew Him, God was guiding you through every twist and turn, even when it seemed chaotic or confusing. He did all of that because it was necessary for our salvation.
He brought humility to your heart through trials and difficulties in order to accept the One who was humiliated on the cross.
God orchestrates everything according to His perfect plan, and even when we can’t see the whole picture, He knows exactly what He’s doing. Think about how all the moments in your life—both the triumphs and the trials—have shaped who you are today. Every experience has contributed to your growth and, more importantly, has drawn you closer to Christ. Just as God’s timing brought you to the saving knowledge of Jesus, I hope we can trust that he is continually working the same way in every aspect of your life.
I had to go through 13 years of prison in order to be brought low enough. I felt like dirt because of it however, when we are humbled, that dirt receive the seed which is the word of God.
That is the beauty of God's timing. He will always keep us humble so that we can experience his grace and mercy.
It’s natural to feel impatient or worried when things aren’t happening according to our timeline.
The remedy for that is simple; trust that God knows what we don't.
He sees the end from the beginning. We only see horizontally, but God sees things vertically, from a top down perspective. He can see the past, present, and future of which he has covered for us already. All we need to do is believe.
God’s plan for your life is better than anything you could imagine, and His timing is part of that plan. When things feel uncertain, I hope we can remember to trust that we are exactly where he wants us to be. God can easily expedite your growth, we must recognize that there's a reason why he's not doing so. This is where faith comes in. Faith to believe that God knows better than us and is working to give us the best possible outcome.
Looking back, you can likely see how God’s timing was perfect, even when you didn’t understand it. If you had received certain things sooner, you might not have been ready for them. If you had avoided certain trials, you might not have grown in the ways you needed to.
God’s timing is never late and it's always right.
The most beautiful truth is that everything that has happened in your life has led to your salvation. Every moment, every experience, every step has been part of God’s plan to bring you to Jesus and the gospel. If He was faithful to lead you to the cross and give you eternal life, won’t He also be faithful to lead you through everything else?
Satan does the job of telling you that it's too late. You missed the mark and you are useless. You are too behind just give us.
The truth is, you're not behind, you're right on time.
I hope we can rest in this truth that you are exactly where you need to be. God’s timing is perfect, and He is working everything together for your good. Reflect on how God has led you this far, and trust that He will continue to lead you. When you feel anxious or impatient, remind yourself that God’s timing is always best. You are right where He wants you, and He will guide you to what’s next.
Amen!
Nahum 1:7 (KJV)
7 The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
Life is full of uncertainties. We face challenges, setbacks, and situations that make us feel unstable. Relationships may break, finances may crumble, or health may decline, and it can make us fall into depression.
But this verse tells us that even when everything around us is insecure, we can be confident that our security in God never changes.
While the book of Nahum is lesser known and often overlooked, it speaks powerfully about God’s strength in times of trouble. It tells us that "The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him." God doesn’t promise a life free from trouble, but He promises to be a stronghold. The word used for “stronghold” here is מָעוֹז (ma'oz) in Hebrew, meaning a place of protection or refuge. He is a fortress, an unshakable place where we are shielded from the storms of life. God is that refuge for us, not only in good times but especially in times of uncertainty. We only need a place of refuge, safety, and security when we our lives are threatened. It's a way of God drawing closer to us. When we face issues in our lives, God wants us to remember him as the stronghold. He will close all our paths in order to become THE path. He will remove our ways in order to become THE way.
God will ruin your plans before your plans ruin you.
He truly loves us and never wants anything bad to happen to us. Circumstances may shift, but God stays the same. The world may abandon us, people may disappoint us, and situations may unravel, but God remains constant.
Our security comes not from what’s happening around us but from what’s already been done for us. Jesus has already secured our eternal future through the gospel. No matter how chaotic life may feel, the foundation of the gospel is unshakable. When we put our trust in Christ, we know that our salvation is secure, our relationship with God is unbreakable, and our eternity is guaranteed.
I hope we can remember that this kind of security transcends any temporary instability we might experience in life.
Circumstances may shift, but God will always stay the same.
God knows you personally. He sees your struggles, your worries, and the things that make you feel insecure. And because He knows you, He is able to meet you exactly where you are. This means that even when circumstances are uncertain, you can trust that God is fully aware of what you need and is working for your good.
It’s comforting to remember that we don’t have to pretend to have it all together in front of God. We don’t need to present ourselves as strong when we’re feeling weak. God already knows us, inside and out, and He’s ready to be our stronghold in every situation. All we have to do is trust Him.
The key to feeling secure when everything else feels unstable is to anchor yourself in God’s word and not in the circumstances around you.
We may not have control over the world’s events, but we have full assurance that God is in control. The more we trust Him, the more we experience His peace, even when the world feels like it’s crumbling.
I hope we can all anchor ourselves to the stronghold of God which is the gospel. Amen!
