“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:18

Rejoice is defined as the ability to feel or show great joy or delight. Habakkuk wrote in chapter 3:8, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The scripture begins with the word “yet,” the prophet used yet as an adverb to refer to a time which starts in the past and continues up to the present. He recalls the affliction of God’s chosen children and the Lord’s faithfulness to bring them out victoriously through it all, and he resolved to delight and have joy in the Lord through it all!

Life circumstances can lead us in many different directions; some roads may seem to lead to despair, and others give exceedingly great joy, but regardless of the road that we travel at any given time, God is faithful and true. He is the joy and the strength of our lives! Philippians 4:4 admonishes us to “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

With this in mind, you may wonder: how do we rejoice always? The answer often depends on where our focus lies. Do we focus on things that are easily seen, touched, and fleeting—quick to fade away—or do we fix our eyes on those things made visible only by the Spiritual eye, things that bring joy deep down in the soul and never fade away? As the apostle Paul wrote, these are things that “worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” 2 Corinthians 4:17b.

Therefore, my friends, when Jesus is the Captain and Lover of our souls, and the object of all that we cling to, we can run on in life with great expectations and exceeding joy. 

We do not walk this journey of life alone, for we have the blessed assurance of the Holy Spirit living within our hearts. He is our Comforter and constant guide, reminding us always that the love of God will never fail and is with us at all times. “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” 1 Corinthians 12:13.

Let us also resolve to rejoice in the Lord—regardless of whether our circumstances are favorable or unfavorable. In any moment, we can praise God, resting in the assurance of Romans 8:37: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

Yes, Jesus loves us! And His amazing grace and tender mercies are able to keep us in perfect peace and give us the strength to run this race with victory every single day! “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23.

God’s blessings and peace…let us rejoice in the Lord!