HELP FOR HOPELESS TIMES

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:  Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.  The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places." - Habakkuk 3:17-19

I live in the mountains of West Virginia.  I love my home state.  There's no place like West Virginia.  In spite of the beauty of this area, we are facing great challenges here.

On one hand, the southern counties of this state have been in an economic depression for some time.  Many have left the area due to a lack of jobs.  The financial strain has been felt at every level.  Things have been rather bleak in this region.

Secondly, many in this area struggle with substance abuse.  Drug use is out of control.  Overdoses are a regular occurrence in this region.  Many of the deaths in our area are due to overdoses.  It is sad to see so many dying without hope.

Finally, and most importantly, we need a spiritual awakening in this region.  There are churches on nearly every corner, but most people do not attend a church.  Although this is a religious region, many are religiously lost.  It is sad that many confuse religion with righteousness.  In spite of good churches regularly preaching the solid Gospel, it seems like most people know the talk of Zion but lack a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.

It would be easy to get down, distraught and discouraged.  Some may have given up on the people of this region.  It could be that many see no hope for West Virginia.  Here's my opinion:  apart from God's intervention, this region (like the rest of our country) has no hope.  Yet, I know that God is able to turn things around.  My faith lies in the power of God and not the opinion of men.

Habakkuk faced a similar situation as he wrote his prophetic book.  Notice the hopeless tone of Habakkuk 3:17:  "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls."  This verse shows that it is possible for a region to face dire circumstances. 

What should we do when times get so bleak?  Look at Habakkuk's response in the following verse:  "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation."  Habakkuk lived by faith instead of by sight.  Instead of looking around in despair or looking down without hope, he looked up --- he looked up to the One who would turn things around. 

My faith is anchored in the Solid Rock, Jesus Christ.  I trust the One who holds the future in His hands.  He can do far more than any politician or human "expert."  I know that God can turn things around.

The final verse of the book of Habakkuk demonstrates the kind of faith we need during hopeless times:  "... he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places."  God can lift you up from the lowest position of despair and cause you to experience heights of joy.  Just as a deer can maneuver a steep rock cliff and reach the top of a hill, God can lead you from the lowest valley, through the overwhelming obstacles, and enable you to enjoy the exhilarating pinnacle of victory.

I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I believe God can turn things around.  I trust Him to do that in our region.  Will you trust Him to do the same with your life?