Fight for joy

You need to fight for joy. Wage war against malaise and malcontent by choosing to rejoice in the Lord, who transcends the headlines of the 24-hour news cycle. That is what the prophet Habakkuk learned. The brief pages of Habakkuk, while absent tales of little towns, shepherds and heavenly hosts, tell us of a joy that outlasts the Christmas season. The few words speak of a broken and lamenting man, the sovereign hand of God, and a prophet who turns poet before our eyes. Habakkuk is for anyone who has been overwhelmed or disheartened and needs to learn to fight for joy.

In the prophet's day, thousands of years before our own, Habakkuk is overwhelmed with violence, injustice and cruelty. The legal system is paralyzed, and those entrusted with leadership serve themselves instead of the people. The opening lines of Habakkuk could be drawn from the latest news headlines and news releases. Fighting for joy is not a new phenomenon.

Habakkuk laments, and God responds, but not as he expected. The prophet wanted an excellent answer, an immediate answer that would not cost him but punish evil. The answer given was the opposite. The Lord's solution to the wickedness of his time and people was a people who were more wicked than they. Habakkuk's beloved people and land would be conquered. The Lord's solution was not what he expected.

The Lord challenges Habakkuk, and all who read the prophet's words, to live by faith. To look to the Lord despite our conditions. To trust in the hand of God when our hands fail. Fighting for joy beyond conditions demands a life of faith.

Habakkuk resolves to place his joy in the Lord. To draw his strength from the Lord. The gift of joy in the Lord changes his demeanor. He is dragging his feet in the opening verses. He closes the book dancing. He is weighed down and discouraged in the beginning. By the end, he is lighter than air.

Yet, his circumstances had not changed. His people were wicked. The place he loved would be conquered. What changed was him. He placed his faith in the Lord and learned to fight for joy.

Joy must be fought for. You must wage the battle to rejoice in the Lord despite what you see and feel. Joy is not a season but a byproduct of faith. Joy is worth fighting for.