When Life Doesn’t Make Sense, God Still Deserves Our Praise

A message from Lakeview Christian Church of Portage Lakes

Have you ever felt like everything in your life is falling apart? You’re not alone. In fact, there’s an entire book of the Bible dedicated to asking God the hard questions we’re all thinking.

The Prophet Who Asked “Why?”

At Lakeview Christian Church of Portage Lakes, our young adult group has been studying the prophets, and one name keeps appearing: Habakkuk (however you choose to pronounce it!). This short, three-chapter book captures something we’re all too familiar with in today’s world—lamenting.

Let’s be honest: our society is really good at lamenting. We whine and grieve about a lot. But Habakkuk’s lament was different. He wasn’t complaining to his friends or venting on social media. He was bringing his honest questions directly to God:

“Why have you called judgment upon Israel?”
“Why are all these bad things happening?”
“Why are we in exile?”
“Why are you destroying the temple?”
“What is going on? Why do we deserve this?”

Sound familiar? These are the same questions we ask when life doesn’t go according to plan.

The Most Powerful “Yet” in Scripture

After two chapters of honest wrestling with God, Habakkuk arrives at one of the most profound declarations of faith in all of Scripture. Habakkuk 3:17-18 says:

“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.”

Read that again slowly. Habakkuk is describing total devastation:

No fruit on the trees
Failed crops in the fields
Empty pens and stalls
Complete economic collapse
Zero visible reasons for hope

And then comes that powerful word: “YET.”

Choosing Joy When Nothing Makes Sense

At its core, this is what we proclaim at Lakeview Christian Church. Our mission is to be the change as Jesus has changed us through “Just 3”: Study (to love and know God), Share (to know and love others), and Serve (love in action).

Habakkuk’s declaration embodies all three:

Study: He knew God deeply enough to trust Him when circumstances screamed otherwise. His relationship with God wasn’t dependent on his circumstances being good.

Share: By recording his struggle and resolution, Habakkuk shared hope with countless generations facing their own “fig tree” moments.

Serve: Choosing joy in suffering is an act of worship—love in action directed toward God, even when it costs us everything.

What’s Your Fig Tree?

What’s not budding in your life right now?

Is it your health?
Your finances?
Your relationships?
Your career?
Your family?

Habakkuk teaches us that joy isn’t found in our circumstances changing—it’s found in knowing the God who never changes.

The prophet didn’t say, “I’ll rejoice when the fig tree buds again.” He said, “Though it doesn’t bud, yet I will rejoice.” That’s not denial or toxic positivity. That’s faith anchored in the character of God rather than the comfort of our situation.

The Invitation

This Sunday at Lakeview Christian Church of Portage Lakes, we’re exploring how God invites us into this kind of unshakeable faith. When the world around us crumbles, we don’t have to crumble with it. Our hope isn’t in things that don’t last—it’s in the only One who does.

Habakkuk discovered what we’re all invited to experience: that God is worthy of our praise not because of what He gives us, but because of who He is. He is our salvation, our strength, and our song—even when the fig tree refuses to bud.

Will you choose the “yet” today?