18 August | Teens
«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.» Habakkuk 3: 17,18
Things don't always go as planned. It may be that that ride you have been waiting for so much is canceled because of a rain, or you may not get the toy you wanted so much for your birthday. At times like this, it's easy to get sad or frustrated, isn't it? But Habakkuk 3:17 and 18 teaches us an important lesson: even when things don't go well, we can still rejoice in the Lord: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.”
Habakkuk was a prophet who knew that hard times were coming for his people. Still, he decided to rejoice in God. He knew that, despite his circumstances, God was still good and trustworthy.
That doesn't mean we should pretend everything is fine when it's not. But it does mean that we can find joy and hope in God, even in difficult times. He is like a friend who is always by our side, giving us strength and courage, no matter the situation.
Take Action
Choose a day of the week and agree that, on that day, everyone will try to find reasons to rejoice, even in small setbacks. At the end of the day, come together and share your experiences, talking about how you have found joy in God despite the challenges. This will help reinforce the idea that we can rejoice in the Lord in all circumstances.