Yet I Will Rejoice
Though the fig tree doesn’t bloom,
and there’s no produce on the vine;
though the olive crop withers,
and the fields don’t provide food;
though the sheep are cut off from the pen,
and there are no cattle in the stalls;
I will rejoice in the Lord.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (CEB)
Most of us are fluent in “I’m fine.” We can say it with a smile while things are falling apart inside. And sadly, I think we do this more inside the church than outside it, We feel pressure to be upbeat, to be “happy.”
Not because Scripture requires fake smiles, but because we sometimes misunderstand verses like this one.
The prophet Habakkuk tells it like it is: drought, empty fields, scarce resources. He tells the truth and he gives thanks. He isn’t in denial, and he isn’t hiding the pain. He makes a choice in that moment: not to pretend things are good, but to practice what we might call defiant gratitude. He remembers that God is good.
Right now, many neighbors are stretched thin. Rising costs for everyday goods, insurance, and healthcare. Topped off with a federal shutdown has meant missed paychecks, delayed services, and real stress for families and individuals across our country.
If that’s you, you’re not invisible. I see you, and more importantly, God sees and loves you. You don’t have to carry this alone.
So how can we rejoice? Well, we can because Gratitude is not an emotion or a mood we wait for, but is a muscle we grow.
How can we do that?
Name one real thing. Not everything—one. Before bed, whisper, “Thank you for ______.” Small counts.
Re-center on Jesus (20-second pause). When any grace shows up today or tomorrow, whether a kind text, a hot coffee, a quiet moment, breathe and pray: “Thank you Jesus, now stay at the center. Thank you.”
Share a burden. Ask for help if you need it; offer help if you can (a note, a ride, a meal). Gratitude grows when it moves through us.
This Sunday we’ll wrap CounterCulture by learning through God’s love we can align our desires, time, and relationships with Jesus at the center (1 Peter 4:1–11). I’d love to see you and your friends here. Bring your honest heart; leave the plastic positivity at home. We’ll practice a sturdier kind of joy. Joy that sits with sorrow and still chooses trust.
With Gratitude,
Rev. Rodney Whitfield
Senior Pastor
Aldersgate UMC
P.S. If the shutdown is affecting you, please let us know how we can help: prayer, groceries, gas cards, or simply a listening ear.