“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep on the pen and no cattle in the stalls yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord. Is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s he makes me tread on my high places.”
Habakkuk 3:17-19
The Lord has been teaching me how to have joy in the midst of trials and struggles. How when everything around you seems bleak and you have a hard time making it thorugh the day , to give praise to God . We need to do this because even though… “Situations change for better and for worse, God’s worth never changes.” (from the book “The Unquenchable worshippr .” by Matt Redman) Right now in my life I’m struggling to be here in Kenya. Especaily right now because my best friend is getting married this weekend. As the time gets closer it’s harder and harder to be here engaging in the culture and people while missing the biggest day of my friend. I have a hard time not being bitter and upset at the circumstances or even at God who brought me here at this time. But it doesn’t help anyone especially me to be bitter or angry. I know God brought me here for a purpose and that the harder it is usually means theres a pretty big lesson to learn or purpose to accomplish. So during this time when I feel like my heart is breaking and I’m hating my current situation… I will rejoice in this time even though I don’t understand and it hurts . I will trust and say that the Lord is good. “We may be hard-pressed on every side, weary and not able to sense God. But then a choice faces us—to fix our eyes on the circumstances or to cling to God and choose to worship Him, even when it hurts. (Matt Redman) I want to be able to say at the end that “I rejoiced in the Lord and I took joy in the God of my salvation, that God was my constant strength.”
“The heart of God loves the offering of a persevering worshipper. Though overwhelmed by many troubles, they are even more overwhelmed with the beauty of God.” (Matt Redman)
