Trusting God In Trying Times
By Dennis Love
McDowell County
The words from the prophet Habakkuk are very fitting for the times in which we live today. He says these words in Habakkuk 3:17-19; “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall 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, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places.”
Habakkuk was simply saying if everything he had trusted in and relied on failed and if everything that gave stability to his life crumbled, still he would trust the Lord. What was it that sustained Habakkuk when he was confronted with evil, suffering, and hardships? It was his FAITH. It was his steadfast FAITH in God.
If Habakkuk were speaking to us today he would have said it this way. “Even though the stock market is losing me money. Even though the banks are not paying me any interest on my savings account. Even though the oil companies are getting rich and I’m having to pay way too much for gas and diesel fuel. Even though inflation is costing me more and more of my hard-earned money. And, even though I don’t understand how our nation has drifted so far from our rich Christian heritage—–still I will trust in the Lord. My confidence in Him and my faith in Him will not waiver!
That’s the kind of faith we need today for the evils, the trials, and the troubles of life. Corrie Ten Boom said, “The older I get the less I question and the more I trust.” That is a great statement for us to lay hold of right now in our lives. Habakkuk hit the nail on the head when he said in Habakkuk 2:4; “The just shall live by his faith.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon expressed the kind of steadfast faith we need when he said:
God is too kind to be cruel;
God is too wise to make a mistake:
When we cannot trace the hand of God,
we must trust the heart of God.
We need the faith of Job who said from the depths of sorrow, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” (Job 13:15)
We need the faith of Jesus who prayed in the garden; “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39) Jesus prayed for deliverance, but if His prayer was not answered and deliverance did not come, He would stay committed. He would keep trusting God. My prayer is that God will give to me and you the heart of Habakkuk as we navigate through this evil, tough and trying days in which we live!
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Dr. Dennis Love is the Associational Missions Strategist for the Blue Ridge Baptist Association in McDowell County. Dr. Love has been in full-time ministry work for 31 years. He and his wife Vicki have been married for almost 42 years, and they have lived in Marion for almost 8 years. They have two sons, four grandchildren and two step-grandchildren. He can be reached via email at: dlovebrba@yahoo.com
Read more of his articles here….
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