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Hold On for Dear Life

What do you do when you’re going through something bad and nothing good is coming from it? What happens if you don’t see God’s fingerprint on your life? How can things go from bad to worse even when you are praying and worshipping? Stay calm and hold on. There is a perfect example of this that comes from the prophet Habakkuk. (Fun fact: the name Habakkuk actually means “hold on.”)

Here are four things we encounter when we choose to rejoice in the face of difficulties:

The Decision of Joy  

We’re talking about a joy that can sustain you. This isn’t joy that feels like pop rocks and fun dip. Joy is something to hang onto inside the storm when everything is being ripped apart. And it’s a decision that can be made in advance. There’s a lot of power that derives from pre-loading a decision, from pre-determining what you’re going to do in the difficult days. When Habakkuk says “even though” in chapter 3 verse 17, he is pre-deciding that, even if things get worse, he will still choose joy and praise. 

There will be moments when you look at the world and find that it’s not “behaving.” When you look around and see the world is not doing the things it’s supposed to be doing, you do what you were created to do: Worship and rejoice in the Lord. Joy is not an accidental feeling but an intentional faith in something/someone that cannot be taken from you. Don’t center your joy around anything but the God who is your salvation.

Joy Sparkles in Times of Confusion

Joy never sparkles so much as when it takes place in a time of confusion. Have you ever screamed in frustration to God? I have. That's when joy makes the most sense; when everything inside you wants to go the other way, but you choose to feel what you’re feeling and press in anyway. That's when there is true power for breakthroughs. We always want clarity from God, but sometimes I think we’d be worse off and more confused if we knew why. Your greatest need is not more information, it’s a revelation. You don’t need why, you need Who! Joy is the Lord's way of giving you the strength to walk through difficulties.

Be a Joyful Person Who Contributes Joy

To be clear, the joy that’s in you isn’t just for you. You’re not the first to struggle, and you won’t be the last, so your initial and swift reaction should always be to try and share the joy that you’ve fought to foster. We are called to give. This doesn’t just mean our finances and our gifts, it’s also sharing what we have learned. 

It could be easy to look at Habakkuk and think he deserves a gold medal, and that you could never respond as he did. But the truth is, he didn’t perfectly live out the things that we’re supposed to do. He didn’t get it perfect, and neither will we. 

But I’ve got good news: The person who invented joy is not you. It’s Jesus! Jesus faced everything Habakkuk hypothesized could happen, and what Habakkuk hoped he himself would do in a hard situation is exactly what Jesus did. When we choose joy, when we choose to look at Jesus, we can be sweet even when life is bitter.