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 in the sheepfold and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.
 
The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. (Habakkuk 3: 17-19a, TNIV)
 
Suppose a modern equivalent of the Babylonians mounted an invasion; devastated your country, wiped out the government, destroyed the roads, railways and airports, silenced radio, TV, telephones and internet. Suppose they came to your district and reduced every building to rubble, stole all your possessions, bombed your home, killed or kidnapped everyone you ever knew and loved and left you entirely alone. Wake up! It was only a nightmare – but for Habakkuk it was real. Fortunately he had recently made a massive discovery. God, and not material things, was the source of his joy and strength. Like David he could say; ‘… the joy that you have given me is more than they will ever have with all their corn and wine’ (Psalm 4:7, GNB).
 
I’m not a farmer so I couldn’t easily relate to Habakkuk’s song so I wrote my own version. Could you do the same? Here is mine as an example:
 
Though my computer crashes, losing weeks of vital work,
though no one asks me for Christmas and it rains every day of my summer holiday – and I still put on a stone-and-a-half,
though I write-off my new, but uninsured car,
though my bank account is overdrawn – yet again,
though no one talks to me at church and the new vicar disbands my house group,
and even if I have to live alone for the rest of my life,
my best friend dumps me,
the dog dies,
the house burns down,
and I lose my job,
yet I will choose to believe God is right in the middle of the mess with me – completely in control and committed to getting me through.
So I accept his gift of supernatural peace and joy in spite of everything!
 
Now have a go at writing your own song!
 
Text copyright 2002 Scripture Union.  By Jennifer Rees Larcombe. from Closer to God.  Used with permission.