“Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”
– Habakkuk 3:17-18

These verses come at the end of a series of hard conversations between the prophet and the Lord. Hard times were coming at the hands of the Babylonians. Not only was God permitting it, the coming season of devastation was actually the answer to Habakkuk’s prayers for justice to be done. The scourging of Israel would ultimately serve greater spiritual good.

This was a bitter pill for Habakkuk to swallow! Nonetheless, by the time this book concludes, Habakkuk rests in the knowledge that he can trust God. During times of barrenness and hunger. During times of emptiness and loss. During times of disappointment and failure. God is still good. He is ultimately trustworthy and faithful. He knows what is truly best across all of time and space. And so, Habakkuk can rejoice and essentially say, “Not my will but thine.” Habakkuk doesn’t rejoice in hardship or suffering. He rejoices in the Lord. He doesn’t take joy in hunger or war, he takes joy in the God Who saves Him.

Likewise, each of us will experience seasons of hardship and hurt in this life. There will be times of grief and desolation. They may be short or they may be long. They may be shallow or they may seem endlessly deep. Regardless of the season or situation, trust in the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord Who saves you through His Son Jesus. Take joy in the God Who is always with you and in you through faith in Christ. Remember that one day, in Christ, every tear will be wiped away, our faith will be our sight, and our joy will be complete!

“They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” – Titus 1:16

Scripture is quite emphatic that ultimately the fruit of our lives reveals our heart and mind. Though people can certainly fake holiness for a limited time, ultimately a person’s words and works will reveal their true spiritual condition. Those who profess to know God, who claim to be holy, and assume the mantle of spiritual leadership, yet don’t display the character of Christ and don’t prioritize the priorities of Christ are indeed detestable, disobedient, and unfit for the work of the Lord!

As Christians, we should each spend so much time in the Bible getting to know our Lord and Savior – His words, His works, and His heart – that we can easily discern these wolves in shepherd’s clothing! A Christian leader should care for the lost, the vulnerable, the wavering, and the weak because Jesus does. A Christian leader should not be concerned for wealth, status, or popular acclaim because Jesus wasn’t concerned for these things. A Christian leader must be known for increasing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control because these are the character traits of Jesus. If they are not known for these things, there’s a profound disconnect between their public profession and their private practice of faith.

Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has bad days. There must always be grace for that, especially during challenging times. However, we cannot be continually making excuses for those claiming to be followers of Jesus who characteristically deny God by their conduct. We must reject their leadership and lovingly but firmly confront their unholiness – for their sake and ours!

“Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.” – 2 Timothy 4:11

This verse is a wonderful encouragement that the Gospel can also heal broken relationships between believers. There was a time when Mark had so thoroughly failed Paul that Paul refused to travel with him. Indeed, Paul’s feelings were so strong about Mark that in Acts 15 he parted ways with his long-time partner in missions and ministry, Barnabas, rather than work with Mark.

Nonetheless, by the end of his life, Paul considered Mark very useful in his ministry! Clearly, things changed dramatically between the two men. We’ll never know the details this side of heaven, but it’s a wonderful proof then when a relationship between Christians is broken, it can also be healed by Christ.

Too often in our culture, we permanently slam the door on a relationship after a significant failure or falling out. We repeatedly remind ourselves of the wrong they did and allow our hearts to become embittered. However, as Christians, the Gospel that reconciles us to God also means Jesus died to empower us to reconcile with one another. Rather than assuming a broken relationship must remain unhealed or become a lasting scar, we should acknowledge that God loves to bring dead things to life!

The Gospel permits us to look honestly at ourselves, our past, and our heart. It permits us to recognize and humbly confess where we own part of the responsibility for broken relationships. The Gospel empowers us to make the first move toward reconciliation, even if we believe firmly that we were wronged. God made the first move to reconcile with us and He did nothing wrong! Therefore, so can we. The Gospel enables us to go to the other person, express a desire to be reconciled, take responsibility for what we were responsible for, seek forgiveness, and offer it freely if asked.

Does this mean that every relationship will be healed? Certainly not. However, it means that we have all the spiritual tools needed to reopen doors to relationship that seem permanently closed and to invite the Holy Spirit to heal what’s been broken.

“Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” – 2 Timothy 1:13

As Paul writes his dear friend Timothy from jail, he understands that it might be tempting for Timothy to compromise his faith and ministry to avoid similar suffering and humiliation. Paul repeatedly affirms that he isn’t embarrassed to be in jail for the Gospel and Timothy shouldn’t be either. Nonetheless, Paul understands the powerful temptation to compromise our faith in our risen Savior when the world doesn’t understand it, mocks it, or persecutes it.

This is a temptation we may feel ourselves. We might be similarly tempted to mute our proclamation of Jesus. We might be tempted to agreeably agree with people speaking against the faith, the importance and validity of the Bible, or certain doctrines that just aren’t popular. There are currently a wide range of topics for which the teaching of Scripture is radically out of step with our cultural moment. There are many places in which affirming what the Bible teaches will get you labeled as old-fashioned, arrogant, ridiculous, unrealistic, legalistic, unloving, or downright hateful. The temptation will increasingly be to avoid speaking of these or obeying them.

Don’t give in to those temptations!!! Hold firm to the sound doctrine of Scripture (i.e. the sound words we have heard from Paul and the other authors of Scripture). Don’t ever compromise about living a life that follows Jesus 24×7. Know the truth, speak the truth, and live the truth confident in the faith and love of Christ Jesus!

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” – 1 Timothy 6:11

The world and our culture encourages, exhorts, and tempts us to chase after the wrong things. We’re told to pursue stuff, stuff, and more stuff. Better stuff. Newer stuff. Faster stuff. Shinier stuff. We’re tempted by temporary things that won’t last beyond our brief lifetimes: wealth, power, status, and fame. As followers of Jesus, we must flee these things!

As Christians, we’re called to pursue the development of our Christ-like character. We’re to pursue virtues that will serve both our earthly lifetime and all eternity thereafter. We’re to pursue virtues that don’t depend on earthly circumstance or situation, virtues that will serve us in prosperity and poverty, freedom and oppression, sickness and health, youth and old age, ability and disability, celebration and sorrow, triumph and tragedy.

Pursue righteousness and godliness, working in the power of God’s Spirit to become increasingly holy and devoted to God, free of sin, and ever more like Jesus. Pursue faith and love, the character of Jesus that visibly demonstrates His reality to the world. Pursue steadfastness and gentleness, the very qualities that allowed our Savior to endure injustice, humiliation, torture, and death to set us free from slavery to sin and death.

These are the qualities that reveal Christ to the world. These are the qualities that help us endure life in a fallen world for the glory of God. These are the qualities that will be honored and rewarded forever in heaven. Pursue these things and leave all that other stuff behind!