Scripture Reading: Habakkuk 1:1-2, Habakkuk 1:5, Habakkuk 3:1-19, Psalm 56:10-11
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Screw your courage to the sticking place”? It’s a Shakespearean line that, while originating from a particularly devilish plot point in the play Macbeth, has come to take on nobler meaning. When you find yourself wavering, burrow into the thing that will hold you steady.
Habakkuk had more than one reason to have wavering confidence in the Lord (see the list he so helpfully provided in Habakkuk 3:17). Babylon was pressuring Judah on all sides, and then famine plagued a people already at their wits’ end. Habbakuk was very honest with God about these struggles, calling out the fact that God might not even be listening to the cries of suffering rising in Judah—instead choosing to expose Habbakuk to the pain of watching the violent prevail (Habakkuk 1:2–3). After an encounter with God, Habakkuk saw things for how they truly are: There is a God who not only cares deeply about the suffering of His people but acts in His timing for His glory and out of love for His people.
Habbakkuk’s song upends why I think I should place my confidence in the Lord. If I’m honest, so much of my faith is spent white-knuckling this hope that God has promised an end to suffering and all that grieves me in this life (Revelation 21:4). When in distress, my thoughts consistently sound like some variation of, “If I can just hold on a little longer, maybe it’ll all turn out all right in the end.” When I say it out loud, I realize that the sticking place of my courage is in what God will give, not who He is.
I think Habbakuk is cracking open where we’re called to place our confidence as believers. Based on his song, our confidence is in God’s overwhelming power, authority, and holiness over creation. It is in the sheer force of who God is. Rather than gripping outcomes, even the very good ones God Himself has promised, I instead rest fully in the fact that my God is powerful. He is loving, merciful, and righteous. He is the kind of God who wields His power to restore order and justice.
I don’t think it’s wrong to desire that the things God has promised will come to pass for those who trust in Him. He gives us these promises for a reason, and they are meant for our joy and comfort. But I do wonder if this song can help us dig deeper into what’s anchoring our faith. I don’t want my faith to be limited to promises; I want my faith fully rooted in the very presence of God. Soli Deo Gloria—to God alone be glory—for He is enough for me with or without fruit on the vines.
Written by Kayla De La Torre
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65 thoughts on "Sing of Our Confidence: Habakkuk’s Song of Faith"
Amen!
Amazing devotional today. Keeping our gaze on who our God is, is such a powerful message
I read the whole Psalm 56, and it is so beautiful that I need to explore it all.
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Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
My enemies would hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
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Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?
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All day they twist my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
They gather together,
They hide, they mark my steps,
When they lie in wait for my life.
Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God!
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You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me.
In God (I will praise His word),
In the Lord (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
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Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the light of the living?
(Psalm 56).
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Twice in this psalm David asks, “What can man do to me?” (v 4, 11), and then, he answers it, and he answers it in front of God. Men can oppress me. They can hound me all day long. They twist my words, think evil of me, watch my steps, lie in wait, fight against me, and try to swallow me up. David isn’t pretending the threat is small. What level of anxiety and fear was he at? How does anyone develop that kind of resilience of faith? It doesn’t come from theory. It comes from having been tried and having practiced bringing fear to God. I think of Charlie Kirk. I think of Israel on October 7 in the Hamas sudden attack, and the Nigerian Christians, I think of the many others, the Davids and Esthers, whom I believe God is raising up in the political arena.
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Man is capable of terrible harm against his fellows, and there is no shortage of creative ways to inflict it. But yet, God is on the throne. How did Jesus go to the cross? He settles His cost and His identity before hand. He sees the joy before Him. “They loved not their lives unto death” (Revelation 12:11), “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16), “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it… But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18), the blazing furnace (the holocaust and the trauma of it). Again, may we be reminded that Christianity is not coffee and cakes. It is about losing our life to find it in Him, “but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25). We will find it again. All these people of faith have gone before us to encourage us. “Don’t be afraid. Just believe” (Mark 5:36). I often ponder why courage is not the fruit of the Spirit, though courage is commanded in Scripture, “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:9), “be courageous” (1 Corinthians 16:13), and “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).
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TERESA DONLEY- thank you for checking on my vision, it has improved so much for close range reading. Thank you for reminding me to update.
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Be blessed dear sisters.
Grace & Peace to all my sisters!
Thank you all for praying for Tanner’s dad, Donnie.
Habakkuk 3:18 YET, I will celebrate the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord my Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights!
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God is my strength. My joy and comfort. My Father!
For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.
Amen.
This morning, when I read Habbakuk’s song, specifically starting in verse 17, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food. Though the flocks disappear from the pen, and there are no herds in the stalls, yet I will celebrate in the Lord. I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! The Lord, my Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights.”
This passage reminded me of one of my favorite parts of the book, Hinds Feet on High Places, where Sorrow sang. I actually made a note on page 133 of my book, smiling as I realized, Sorrow sang. I’ll share the passage here…
“One morning when the storm was rattling and raging through the forest louder than ever she noticed Sorrow sitting by the fire singing quietly to herself. The words, of course, being in the mountain dialect, which Much-Afraid was learning to understand. This is the best translation that I can give, but you will realize that the original was much more beautiful and full of forest sounds and music.
“How lovely and how nimble are thy feet, oh prince’s daughter! They flash and sparkle and can run more fleet than running water. On the mountains there is no gazelle, no roe, or hind can overtake thee nor can leap as well, but lag behind.” Song of Solomon 7:1
Why Sorrow, exclaimed Much-Afraid, I didn’t know that you could sing, nor even that you knew any songs. Sorrow answered quietly, “Neither did I, but on the way up here through the forest, I found the words and tune coming into my head, just as I am singing them now. “ I like it,” said Much-Afraid. It makes me think of the time when I shall have hinds’ feet myself and so it is comforting, and the tune is so nice and springy it makes me want to jump. She laughed at the thought of her crooked feet being able to jump then coaxed, “Teach me this song. Please do so.” Sorrow sang it over several times until Much-Afraid knew it perfectly and went about the hut, humming it to herself, trying to picture what it would be like to be a gazelle, leaping on the mountains and able to jump from crag to crag just as the Shepherd did. When the day came for her to receive her hinds’ feet she would be able to follow Him wherever He went. The picture was so lovely. She could hardly wait for it to come true.”
Sorrow sang.
I have realized that even in times of sorrow I still have a song, and when I listen back on those songs of sorrow, now they make me smile. For the sorrow taught me something. I can hear in my songs of sorrow how I was held. I can hear how I was kept. I see hear how I was loved. I see hear how I was comforted. I can hear how I was known. I can hear how I was seen. I can hear how He never left me or forsook me. And I can hear how He used the sorrow to produce something in me – oil that could only come out through the pressing. I can hear how when I was squeezed, there were songs of sorrow that showed me that He is my Constant One. And it gives me faith, hope, and courage that no matter the sorrows that come in life, nothing can take my song. For He is my song. The Lord, my Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights.♥️
Wow..oh my gosh. Is this something! I must copy and share with those in trials. I’m going to look up that book!
One of my all-time favorite books!
Powerful, Brittany, thank you.
Amen
He is my Savior!!
v 17 Though the fig tree does not bud…though the olive crop fails…though the flocks disappear from the pen…..
YET, I will celebrate in the Lord;
Ps 56:11 In God I trust; I will not be afraid.
A good friend and I were texting back and forth as she is helping me with my up coming court. I DO NOT like going! BUT I know WHO goes with me. Taking a deep breath. ….I will not be afraid. There is a lot to do and will take time to do it this weekend. I want to be ready instead of rushed. It will be Nov 24.
Love you all SO much. Gotta go my ride is here!
So sorry you have to go back to court! Proud of you for putting the hard work in ahead of time so that you can be calm and confident as you walk in the strength of the Lord. Will pray that God goes before you and behind you, surrounding you with His love and protection. ❤️
Awe…Rachel, thank you! I’m already at work still waiting to clock in. Since I still don’t have my car and I have to get here early, it gave me time to prep some of that court stuff. I’m feeling more and more ready.
Amen
Oh what a great reading today! So powerful, for we feel it, don’t we? The hurting all around, the corruptness of politics, our own hurdles and challenges?! Sometimes it just seems what’s the purpose of it all? And then God, in his knowing and Grace, he gives us something to grab on to! Some joyous moment to smile again! A note from a friend to build and edify us.
When we have a firm foundation in God and the word, we are not surprised with the evil around us. We are not shook by the things we see. (we are, but it makes sense knowing flesh, the devil, and the fallen world) When things are falling apart, we see all the examples in the Bible where God was with them in their wilderness, pit, lion’s den, fire, storms…and on and on!!
If everything is perfect in our lives, we have no need for a God…we are our god. When we are perfectly healthy we wouldn’t long for a heavenly, NEW body! If we aren’t broken, we wouldn’t long to be whole. Brayden Lake has a new song that says all this so beautifully! “How Good God Is”
We need to fall into the pit, even though it is deep and dark. Then we look up!
We call our jail ladies Butterflies, because the darkness that they find themselves in is an “invitation to transformation!” They can consider it a cocoon, and God can do transformational work there, in the darkness, and make a new creation! A new identity! Something Beautiful can emerge!! And we have seen it! We all have that opportunity to emerge beautiful from the ashes! Death to life! Beauty from ashes, graves to gardens, mourning to dancing!! If not here on Earth, we will see it in a blink of an eye one day soon! I can’t wait! Come Jesus come! But until then, may his praises be ever on my lips!!
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Habakkuk went from asking God why He was allowing destruction, violence, and strife to declaring, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” As I was reading I was asking God the same questions. But there is only one answer, the Lord is enough and I will rejoice in Him. Increase my faith and trust in You, Lord!
Amen! The LORD IS ENOUGH! We rejoice in him!
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Amen❤️
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Even though…
I will rejoice in the LORD
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I will be joyful in God my Savior
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The Sovereign LORD is my strength
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“Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
Mark 9:23,24
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Still struggling with the condition that our ministry is in.
Lord, I believe – help my unbelief.
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@Traci – prayers for Donnie❤️
@Cindy Hannah – praise God!❤️
@Rhonda – prayers for those incarcerated during the holidays❤️
@Pam Holt – WELCOME!!❤️
Praying, Sharon, for your ministry. ❤️
Beautiful!! What an eye opening devotional and scripture reading. Am I trusting God only because of what He can do for me or do I truly trust Him with everything?
I agree, what a beautiful, eye-opening devotional and reading today. Yes, I want to hang on to the promises of God, but not be limited to them. I want my faith to be fully rooted in the very presence of God. To rest fully, in the fact that my God is powerful, loving, merciful, and righteous. If everything is taken away and falls apart around me that I would yet celebrate in the Lord and rejoice in the God of my salvation. Amen.
I don’t see the playlist?
I couldn’t help but think of the song “He Will Hold Me Fast”. Regardless of the circumstances around us, He will hold us, because of His great love for us.
Amen!
Amen
His glory is still everywhere, covering the heavens and, at one time, the earth was full of His praise, He and His ways are forever.
We can see that today’s world is lacking in praise, am I lacking in praise? Are we lacking in praise?
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Habakkuk shows the Lord’s anger at the wickedness and punishment that results, YET … we see his unwavering faith in the Lord in 17-19.
17 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—
18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.
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Looking at wickedness that seems to rise to another level every day, I feel we are blessed with what seems like ‘extra’ time, that the Lord hasn’t already said, Enough!
May we use the days we have to praise the Lord and reach out to the lost.
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BG verse today Colossians 1:9 + 10-14 –
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it [note: it refers to their faith in Christ Jesus and their love for all the saints from v 4] , do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
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What if we prayed like this?? Never ceasing in our prayers for believers to be filled with knowledge of His will, wisdom, spiritual understanding? To walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him, fruitful and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might for all patience and self control with joy and giving thanks?
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BRITTANY E ❤️ please share link for David’s song – it doesn’t show on yesterday’s post
LYNNE FROM AL ❤️
ADRIENNE ❤️
B ❤️
KIMBERLY Z ❤️
TRACI GENDRON ❤️ praying for you, and for Donnie
CEE GEE ❤️ praying for the daughter mentioned, God knows.
Such conviction in that question, “What if we prayed like this?? Never ceasing in our prayers for believers to be filled with knowledge of His will, wisdom, spiritual understanding? To walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him, fruitful and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might for all patience and self control with joy and giving thanks?”
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Thank you, SEARCHING, for the challenge, for inspiring us to keep striving, and for the prayers! Hugs, sister! ❤❤❤
Excellent Searching, very convicting!
I love these verses from Colossians. 1:9-12. When my children were young, an older women shared these verses with me and encouraged me to pray them for my children. I have memorized them and pray them often for those seeking the Lord and for myself to be fully pleasing to God and fruitful in every good work. Thank the Lord He is still working in me and increasing my faith.
What great verses to pray over our children! ❤️
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KAYLA said, “There is a God who not only cares deeply about the suffering of His people but acts in His timing for His glory and out of love for His people.”
Amen
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Isaiah 33:2
LORD, be gracious to us! We wait for you.
Be our strength every morning
and our salvation in time of trouble.
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SONG SHARE:
Even If by Mercy Me
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Love, hugs, and prayers! ❤
Amen, early bird ❤️
☺ ❤
Great verse to add!
I immediately thought of Even If as well!
And so many good songs about praising through every circumstance! Even when things don’t look like we expect!
I like the song “Worship Through It” by Chris Brown and Tasha Layton
That is a great song for today; thanks for the reminder! ❤
“The sticking place of my courage is in what God will give, not who He is.”
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Such a thoughtful point of delineation. Brings to mind the man’s declaration to Jesus, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
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Echoing SALLY B’s prayer below.
Yes! ❤
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When there are wars and threats from outside, when the natural world is in upheaval, when there is sickness of the body, and in times of economic collapse – just like Habakkuk, can we trust in the Lord? In the God of the Bible who has kept His promises to His people throughout all generations? Can we ‘yet celebrate in the Lord’?
Father, please help us to trust in You (it’s not what if, but even if) and be not afraid – to continue to give You praise because we know how the story ends!! Amen.
Amen, Sally! ❤
Yes and amen ❤️
Amen, Sally!
Amen!
It’s not what if it’s even if! Yes and Amen!
Amen Sally❤️
So good SALLY.
“[17] Even though the fig trees have no fruit and no grapes grow on the vines, even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no grain, even though the sheep all die and the cattle stalls are empty,
[18] I will still be joyful and glad, because the Lord God is my savior.
[19] The Sovereign Lord gives me strength. He makes me sure-footed as a deer and keeps me safe on the mountains.”
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Even though…
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In faith, trust, hope and love, and hands on our hearts, we can all fill in an even though, right?
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Even though, life throws me lemons, and life is a tad sour..
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Even though I am riddled with pain, and I struggle with walking/movement..
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Even though my heart is hurting, from life experiences, or broken through loss..
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Even though I can not see past this situation…
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BUT GOD..
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BUT GOD..
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He, without a doubt, is my Saviour, in all situations, good, bad, ugly.. He is present, with me, and in me by the power of the Holy Spirit.,
He gives me strength to be me, and to put one foot in front of the other, to speak His truth and promises and to hold fast to them.
His Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light unto my path, and for sure, i am steady footed..
He lifts up my head in praise, my arms in thanksgiving, my feet amoving and my heart in a joyful crescendo of chaotic beating..
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I will rejoice in the God of my salvation, always and forever..
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A Delirious song comes to mind.. I Could Sing of Your Love forever..
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…And I will open up my heart, and let the Healer set me free
I’m happy in thr truth, and I will daily lift my hands.
…. I will sing of your love, (mercy, grace, hope) forever..
Oh I feel like dancing, it’s foolishness, I know..
But when the world has seen the light,
they will dance with joy (and thanksgiving) like we’re dancing now..
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Soli Deo Gloria..
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And so it is.
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Happy Thursday my dears..
Much love,
Tina
Love that song, Tina – an oldie but a goodie!!
Amen.
Amen ❤️
Powerful, Tina! I sit here with my finger hovering and no words come in response. You are an inspiration, sister! Many hugs!!!❤❤❤
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AMEN!❤️
LOVE you sweet Tina!
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Praying for your walking/movement, hugs Tina.
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love that you are here every day!❤️