Looking Back to See Forward

Date: Friday, May 15, 2026

Here's a short video overview of Habakkuk from the Bible Project, helping to connect the dots in this next leg of our journey through the "grand narrative" of Scripture.

This “Year in the Bible” touches lightly on many of the prophets to give you a feel for their common message. Stay with it. Habakkuk 3 is perhaps one of the most mature expressions of faith in the entire Bible. It’s the “Anyway” song. Even if the fig tree doesn’t blossom, even if the stalls are empty, yet I will rejoice. This isn’t skepticism masquerading as positivity or “fake it ‘til you make it” spirituality. This is deep-seated joy that is anchored in the character of God, not the circumstances of the harvest. It points us directly to the peace of the Gospel that the world can’t give, and, therefore, can’t take away. Habakkuk is looking back at the Exodus and looking forward to the ultimate salvation, realizing that God’s track record is the only evidence we need to trust the future. Sometimes we need to look back in order to see the way forward.

Psalm 111 reinforces this by reminding us that “Great are the works of the Lord.” The Psalmist calls us to study these works because they are “full of splendor and majesty.” When we combine Habakkuk’s resolve with Psalm 111’s remembrance, we get a powerful recipe for spiritual resilience. Our joy becomes a weapon against discouragement and evil. We aren’t just waiting for things to get better; we are actively rejoicing because we know the God who “sent redemption to his people” back then, is the same God working in our present. This is the grand story: from the Red Sea to the Empty Tomb, God is a Deliverer. If He has already done the heavy lifting of salvation, we can certainly trust Him with the empty “stalls” of our current season.

What are the “empty stalls” in your life right now, and what would it look like to rejoice in God anyway?
Why is “studying the works of the Lord” (Psalm 111) a necessary practice for maintaining faith in difficult times?

Prayer: God of my salvation, even when my circumstances are lean, help me to find my strength in You. Let my life be a “hallelujah” that is rooted in Your faithfulness rather than my feelings. Amen.