“… yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”
Habakkuk 3:18
Having a positive attitude is something we have to choose sometimes. Happiness does not always come naturally. Sad things happen and we cannot always wear a smile and act as though we’re not bothered or touched by the circumstances. God has given us emotions that do influence our reactions.
In the verses previous to the one above, the prophet Habakkuk had learned from God that Israel was about to be attacked and defeated by the Babylonians! That sounds frightening and depressing. Habakkuk was concerned to say the least, his attitude was not positive about the situation. He questioned why God would allow this to happen. He tried to make sense of it in his own mind. He talked to God; and then, Habakkuk listened to God. Once Habakkuk heard God’s response his attitude changed. He accepted the inevitable. But he was no longer frightened or depressed. His attitude changed to one of acceptance and trust in the Lord. Habakkuk declared that no matter what happened, he would continue to find joy and happiness with the Lord.
We too can find ourselves in predicaments that are unsettling or scary. Our first reaction may be anger, fear or doubt. But God assures us that we are never alone. He walks with us through all of life’s ups and downs.
We may not be able to change our circumstances, but we can definitely change our attitude. By trusting the Lord and believing His word we can choose to be joyful and rejoice in our Lord. We can let the peace that passes all understanding rule our hearts and minds. We can stand firm on His promises.
Here are a few Bible verses that can help reassure us in times of trouble: Psalm 46:1, Philippians 4:19, John 16:33, Romans 8:18, James 1:2-4 and Joshua 1:9.