The secret of a transformed life: From distress to joy

Perhaps one of the most searching questions in the Bible is asked in Job’s story, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing?’ (Job 1:9). The accusation made is that God has lavished His blessings on Job, so he is purely self-interested and serves the Lord for the sake of what he can get out of the relationship. Take away his blessings, Lord, and he will curse you (Job 1:11)! This is an inquiry that probes the depth of our commitment, too. Do we love God for His own sake or for the gifts He gives us? It is a question difficult to answer until circumstances test our loyalty and affections. When life is hard and we do not get our own way, do we cling to the Lord or turn on Him in disappointment or anger? How can we keep going when we live with tragedy and may even feel that we have been abandoned by God?

A barren land, a people devastated

Habakkuk finds himself in such a scenario. The grand vision has ended, and like a man awakened from a glorious dream, he is once again conscious of the distress that awaits his people (Hab 3:16). They will be invaded by the Babylonians and the prophet himself will not live to see God’s deliverance from exile. What Habakkuk describes is the destruction of the land after conquest with no fruit and no animals (Hab 3:17). This may result from the foreign army stripping the land of its fruit for their own use, a scorched earth policy to subjugate the local population or simply the lack of agricultural activity due to the fighting, which leaves everything barren. Fig trees, vine and olive trees are the most ubiquitous in Israel, so much so that both the fig tree and the vine or vineyard are symbols of the people themselves (e.g. Isa 5:7; Jer 24:5, 8; Mic 7:1-2). Thus, the devastation of the land also stands for the devastation of the people.

From despair to joy

What follows this dismal picture, however, is a gloriously exuberant, even defiant expression from the prophet in the face of catastrophe. He describes his joy in God who will save, who gives strength. The image of the hind is of a creature that is surefooted enough to make its way through rocks and ravines without falling and it is an apt picture of someone traversing a spiritually difficult terrain full of pitfalls. But how did Habakkuk get from trembling and distress to such elation? While there is no easy answer to this, it resonates with many of the psalms where there is a similar turnaround from despair and dejection to hope and joy. No one can force themselves to change their feelings and it is of no use to pretend happiness when we are miserable. Nevertheless, what seems to transform the prophet’s emotions is the reality of God’s presence and character coming through for Habakkuk. He knows God’s strength and enabling to navigate the troubled waters ahead.

The secret for living and thriving

Ultimately, the reason for this change we witness here must be the result of trust in God. It is this that can make the Lord’s presence and help real to us and enable clinging to Him when all else is destroyed. It is, in fact, the central message of the book: ‘the righteous will live by his faith’ (Hab 2:4) and Habakkuk himself demonstrates that he is practising what God has taught him through His revelations. Faith, of course, is not the magic formula. It is merely the means by which we come to recognise God’s character and rely on Him to help us. While our emotions may fluctuate and will not always reflect our trust in the Lord, trusting in his strength and compassion will carry us through the ravines of depression, fear and hopelessness. May we not let go of Him, but know that even without external blessings, He is our treasure above all.

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