How Habakkuk Helps Us Find Joy in the Middle of Hard Things

This week, I am are honored to feature Shanté Grossett O’Neal, founder of Daily She Pursues—a ministry dedicated to encouraging women to walk faithfully with God. Shanté’s insight and biblical wisdom bring powerful encouragement to those walking through difficult seasons. In this thoughtful reflection, she guides us through the message of Habakkuk and shows how this book of the Bible gives us a practical, hope-filled framework for finding joy in the middle of life’s hardest moments.

Many believers struggle to hold onto joy when faced with disappointment, unexpected suffering, or seasons that seem to stretch endlessly. Shanté’s story and biblical insights remind us that God meets us right in the center of our pain. As you read her words, you’ll discover how the prophet Habakkuk wrestled honestly with God, navigated deep tension and uncertainty, and still found a joy rooted not in circumstances, but in who God is.

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How Habakkuk Helps Us Find Joy in the Middle of Hard Things

By Shanté Grossett O’Neal

Last year, my husband and I found water damage in our home. We discovered this while

prepping to paint a wall in our kitchen. For a while, we couldn’t figure out where the water was

coming from. After the wall was removed, we discovered mold. Then, a week later, we noticed

another damp wall in our bedroom. That wall had to be removed too.

It turns out that the damage was due to negligence from a company we hired to encapsulate our

crawl space. Because of this, we had to stay in a hotel for a few days and pay a lot of money for

mold remediation.

It took us a while to figure out the cause of the water damage and we were uncertain about

whether our home owner’s insurance would cover the damage. Unfortunately, this was just one

of many other challenging things we encountered that year.

However, it wasn’t entirely horrible because we got to do fun things in the town we stayed in. It

was late in the summer so we went hiking, spent a lot of time reading, sitting outdoors, and

visited local shops.

We were able to find joy in a difficult situation but this isn’t always easy to do. Whether they’re

big or small, being constantly inundated with hard things can be mentally, spiritually, and

emotionally exhausting. Joy offers us resilience and hope. It gives us an opportunity to see

beyond what we are experiencing into the brighter days to come. But, how do we find joy in the

middle of hard things? Especially when it seems like there is no end in sight?

How Do We Find Joy in the Middle of Hard Things?

I love the book of Habakkuk and how it beautifully addresses this question. We get a glimpse

into the prophet’s inner world and sit in on a conversation between him and God. Habakkuk

feels distress and frustration because of rampant sin and injustice plaguing his community. He

calls on God to do something about it. But, God’s response isn’t what Habakkuk wanted to hear.

He explains that the violence and strife taking place in Judah and Jerusalem would continue for

a while. Then, God would use a wicked nation as an instrument of judgment against Judah and

Jerusalem.

Habakkuk lamented at this dire prognosis.

Yes, God would eventually heal and restore his people. However, that healing would come in

the distant future. Habakkuk and all the righteous in Judah had to live through the violence and

strife today.

At the end of his prophecy, we find this well-known expression of trust:

“Though the fig tree does not bud

and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

Habakkuk 3:17-19

I admit, his words are puzzling. How could Habakkuk confidently rejoice after learning about

everything that was to come for Judah and Jerusalem?

We know the platitudes people offer when they don’t know what else to say:

“It’ll be okay. Stay positive!”

“Just have faith!”

“God won’t give you more than you can bear.”

Choosing Joy Without Spiritual Bypassing

But, to use modern terminology, Habakkuk wasn’t practicing spiritual bypassing when he wrote

these words.

In fact, in Habakkuk 3:16, we discover that the prophet had a strong emotional response to the

vision God showed him about Judah and Jerusalem:

“I heard and my heart pounded,

my lips quivered at the sound;

decay crept into my bones,

and my legs trembled.”

Habakkuk 3:16

This message was far from easy for Habakkuk to accept.

In fact, in chapter 1, Habakkuk asks God some tough questions. He knows that God is holy and

righteous, so how could God allow the wicked to “swallow up those more righteous than

themselves (Habakkuk 1:13)?”

We ask similar questions too: Lord, why are you allowing this to happen? How long must we

endure? When will it end?

These questions are borne from the reality of suffering. Walking through chronic illnesses,

financial instability, loss, disappointment, or loneliness can prompt these questions in us. We

also lament the suffering that affects our local communities, our nation, and the world.

Habakkuk was aware of the dire condition of his community, and he also knew that things would

take a turn for the worse before they ever got a chance to get better.

Why Habakkuk Rejoiced

Yet, despite the present reality, Habakkuk resolves to rejoice in the Lord. Why? I believe he

chose to rejoice because of his prior experience with the Lord.

He hints at it in vv. 18 and 19. The Lord is his salvation and the Lord is his strength.

The Lord is his Salvation

“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior (Habakkuk 3:18).”

First, Habakkuk describes God as Savior. He doesn’t describe God in this way because he’s

looking for comforting words to recite in a hard time. Instead, he calls God “Savior” because he

knew the stories of God’s deliverance of his people throughout Israel’s history. The particular act

of God’s deliverance that may have come to mind was the Exodus. God saved Israel from Egypt

and brought them to their own land. Habakkuk may have also had personal encounters with

God’s deliverance from hard things.

He was confident that the same God who delivered his people back then would deliver them

again.

So, in the midst of pain and suffering, he joyfully anticipated the day that God would come and

rescue his people once more.

Remembering our past experiences with God helps us to find joy amidst the present hard things

we encounter. We know that they won’t last forever. And, when we look to the Lord and see his

goodness and beauty, we can’t help but feel delight. Our Savior does not leave or abandon us

and since he has delivered us before, he will deliver us again. We can wait with hope as we long

for that day.

The Lord is his Strength

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to

tread on the heights (Habakkuk 3:19).”

Next, Habakkuk knew that the hard times ahead would require strength. But, he could not rely

on his own strength since these challenges were bigger than him. He needed to turn to the

Lord.

Even though God wouldn’t necessarily make things easier, God would give Habakkuk

everything he needed to endure the difficult terrain. He gave Habakkuk “feet like the feet of a

deer” so that he could walk through the challenging things ahead.

The book of Habakkuk began with sorrow and tough questions but ended with hope.

Habakkuk’s hope was in the goodness of the Lord and he trusted that even though things

wouldn’t get better right away, God would fulfill his promises.

As I mentioned in the beginning, the water damage and mold were just one of the challenging

things my husband and I experienced last year. As you read this, you may be thinking about

something difficult or disappointing that you are experiencing. Know that it won’t last forever.

But, also know that the Lord is with you. As he was for Habakkuk, he is your Savior and your

Strength. Allow him to fill you with his joy so that you may take delight in his goodness.

To see more of Shante and her Ministry "Daily She Pursues" you can find all her information here!

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