Can you identify with the prophet Habakkuk in these verses? He imagines a situation in which he looks around and sees no crops growing, no fruit trees budding, and no animals standing in their pens. He envisions desolation, destruction, famine, and loss. Maybe he grew figs or grapes and could easily imagine the consequences for himself personally and for society, but he leans into the sadness and fear that those circumstances could produce and says that even there, He will trust in the Lord. His confidence and joy are in the steadfast love and faithfulness of God his Savior, not in the outward state of affairs of his world. 

We’re all capable of imagining these potential circumstances as Habakkuk describes them on this macro-level; perhaps for some of us, depending on where we live, these images don’t hit too far from our current situation. But if we apply these images on the smaller level of our ministry lives, we easily relate to Habakkuk’s description. Maybe the fruit of your ministry is abundant right now: people flock to church or Bible study, friends want to read the Bible with you, deep conversations happen regularly, lives are being changed. You feel useful and like you’re making an impact for the Kingdom. 

But maybe the olive crop is failing. Your invitations to church or Bible study are constantly rejected. You do not have the deep relationships and conversations you long for and instead feel like you are sowing seeds into concrete. Your language skills leave much to be desired, making you feel downright useless. You wonder why you even signed up for this.  

Habakkuk’s beautiful words instruct us no matter where we find ourselves. He acknowledges the circumstances of life but doesn’t let his gaze remain there: he raises his eyes to his faithful God and declares that he will rejoice in Him. The situations of life matter, but they don’t define his ultimate reality or dictate his joy. In the same way, you and I can have deep joy regardless of what fruit we see or don’t see. The growth of God’s Kingdom does not depend on us but on Him; He sometimes chooses to use us and other times decides to let us watch. Either way, He is faithful.