Key scripture – “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.” (Habakuk 3:17-19).

The ESV translation of the Bible says, “he makes me ‘tread’ on high places.” Tread is defined as “stepping and walking”. Other English translations of the Bible use these verbs: the NAS states, “make” and “walk”; while the NIV uses, “enable” and “go”.

But in Hebrew, there is only one verb, which is “to walk” to cause a person to go. So in this case, the phrase might mean: “He leads me to these high places; He makes me go there even though I don’t want to.” Or (as the NIV interprets it): “He enables me to walk on places I could not go without his help.”

I think both ideas are present here in this verse. Habakuk is not talking about a pleasant afternoon of rock climbing or just meandering along a path. He dreads what God has in store for him, he knows the path is very challenging. In that sense, God is leading him to a place he does not want to go. Yet God is his strength, and God will protect him, and Habakuk is confident that God will enable him to do what he could never do on his own and that is why Habakuk is joyful and praising God! God led him to this very spot, and even though there is pain and difficulty here, he knows that God is there with Him and will rescue him from the danger. He also knows that God will fight for him and all that Habakuk needs to do is lean on and rely on God and His strength.

So why should you rejoice like Habbakuk?

Because God is good! He is with You! He is wise! He is in control! He will never forsake you or leave you! He is changing you! And He knows what He is doing!

Whatever your high places might be, know that God has guided you there. God is leading you, He will enable you to endure, He will enable you to rejoice. He gives you the strength to walk forward with spiritual confidence on your high places of challenge and responsibility. Trust Him. Delight in Him. Throw yourself upon Him, and love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

When you enter into your high place, which is a trial, whatever that trial might be, you need to have the vision that sees beyond the trial to the joy that’s going to come when you have passed that test, when you have been strengthened by the trial.

Trials are to be faced with a joyful attitude. They produce proven faith. They strengthen us. They draw us into communion with God. They identify us in the sufferings of Christ, and what a sweet identification that is. They promise better things to come. What a rich and wonderful thing to see your faith proven, to see your faith strengthened, to see some sin knocked out of your life, to fill your heart with hope for that better day when you won’t have trials, to draw you into prayer and communion, to let you identify with Christ.

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
(James 1:12).

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, I will rejoice over the trials in my life. I know that each and every trial that comes into my life increases my faith and that is why James said to “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4). I know that You are always with me and after I have suffered a little while, You will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish me. (1 Peter 5:10). You are my strength, my courage, and my invincible army. You are The Lord God Almighty, El Shaddai, I am weak but You are the strong One for me. Even though I am so weary right now that I am ready to throw in the towel, I will lean on Your strength, El Shaddai. It is so comforting to me that You are always watching, and You will protect me. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.