IN THE LORD
Today's reading: Habakkuk

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the field and the cattle barns are empty, yet will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation." Habakkuk 3:17-18 NLT

I heard this quoted by a television evangelist as I surfed the channels last night and now I'm faced with it in black and white this morning...might be a clue as to my need to stop and rest on this verse, to chew on it a while, to let it soak in to my heart.

Joy. Real joy. From the inside of me reaching to the outside of me, kind of joy.

Because it's nothing to do with what He does for us--the balances in our checkbooks, the status of our barns, the blessings He chooses to pour into our lives.

It's not about things going well for me. It's nothing to do with His provision in my life.

It has nothing at all to do with how I feel, how the doctors say I should feel, how the world leads me to believe I should feel.

Joy, real joy, only comes when my focus is centered on Who He is.

"...rejoice in the Lord..."

"...be joyful in the God of my salvation..."

I have to make sure I'm centering my contentedness on Him, not His blessings on me.

What about you? What are you rejoicing in? Him or what He has given you?