Jonathan Munson, Executive Director
“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.” Habakkuk 3:17-18
Years ago, there was a bestselling book called the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook. In a playful way, the authors shared practical tips for handling a variety of unexpected emergencies, such as encountering a mountain lion in the woods, escaping from quicksand, or accidentally dropping your cellphone in the toilet.
It’s one thing to imagine how we’d survive a hypothetical worst-case scenario, but what do we do when we face a real one? Divorce. Bankruptcy. A devastating diagnosis. A prodigal child. How do we hold onto faith when our world is falling apart?
Habakkuk wrestled with that same question.
He lived during a dark season in Israel’s history when God’s righteous judgment loomed on the horizon. Soon, the Babylonians would destroy the land and take the people into exile, beginning a period of national, spiritual, and economic disaster– a bona fide worst-case scenario, if there ever was one. A modern equivalent would be like losing your home, your job, your savings, and your dreams for the future all at once. Such a catastrophe would rattle anyone’s faith, and Habakkuk openly admits he’s afraid (Hab. 3:16).
But difficult times don’t just rattle our faith; they also reveal its true object. Is our faith in God Himself, or is it in what God gives us? Faith based solely on God’s blessings is a fragile one indeed.
Earlier, Habakkuk writes, “the righteous will live by faith” (Hab. 2:4). Now, amid fear and uncertainty, he makes one of the most stunning declarations of faith in the Bible: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,” literally meaning “I will jump for joy and spin around in delight because of my God” (Hab. 3:18).
He isn’t delusional or in denial. He’s making a deliberate choice. Though Habakkuk’s future looks bleak, he’s choosing to anchor His faith in God alone–no matter what. He isn’t trusting God for a positive outcome; he’s trusting God despite the outcome. This contradicts how many of us approach faith.
For years, I lived what I would call an “If” Faith.
If God fixes my circumstances…
If my finances improve…
If God restores my health…
In other words, if God made my life better, I’d trust Him. It’s the kind of faith that says, “God, I’ll trust You as long as things keep working out.”
But Habakkuk shows us something stronger: “‘Even If” Faith.
Even if life doesn’t go as planned…
Even if my prayers aren’t answered how I want…
Even if my fears come true…
This is a more mature belief that clings to God and refuses to let go, even if He does not do what we so desperately want Him to do. It’s the kind that Jesus showed in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, “Not my will but Yours be done.” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus trusted God even if it meant the cross.
We can’t wait for a crisis to start building the “Even If” faith of Jesus and Habakkuk. It must be cultivated amongst small disappointments and setbacks in daily life. This isn’t easy. It requires us to keep praying, reading God’s Word, and walking in obedience, refusing to let trials extinguish the flame of devotion. In the face of challenges, we joyfully declare, “Lord, I trust You, because You alone are enough.” That’s the unwavering, unquenchable heart of “Even If” faith.
Whatever you’re facing, ask yourself: Am I trusting God only if life goes my way? Or am I learning to trust God even if it doesn’t?
One day, you could find yourself in a real-life worst-case scenario, and in that moment, what you’ve been building all along will be revealed. “If” faith will crumble into a million pieces, but “Even If” faith will stand strong, resilient, and rooted in the God who is still in control.
DIG DEEPER
Read “Keeping the Faith” by Bryant Wright
