We all receive bad news from time to time; sometimes we receive devastating news. Maybe you are dealing with some bad news in your life right now. How do you deal with it? In the Old Testament, God gave a prophet named Habakkuk some very bad news about what was going to happen to his country. He didn’t like it but he still had to face it, just like you and I do. How did he do it? Let’s take a few moments and consider Habakkuk’s response and see what we might be able to learn from it:

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

Wow! In this passage, Habakkuk received some very bad news. And what was his response? Worship. He decided that he was going to worship God no matter what happened to him. So it should be with us as well. Our worship should be based on God and His faithfulness to us. Habakkuk goes into detail about how bad things might get. If the crops don’t come in, if the livestock die, if the economy goes to pieces, I’m going to rejoice. Another translation says, “I will still celebrate because the Lord God is my Savior.” He’s not rejoicing in his circumstances; he’s rejoicing in God Himself. He says, “I will joy” in the God of my salvation.” Isn’t that interesting?  He uses the word “joy” as a verb, an action word. The word translated as joy in this passage means “to jump and dance.” Habakkuk has decided to celebrate God in the face of every kind of hardship. Today you may be dealing with some bad news.

I want to encourage you to face it with joy. Celebrate the covenant goodness and faithfulness of God in Christ Jesus.

He will be with you all the way through it…and that’s very Good News!