You know what, a person who goes through life grumpy and grouchy and mad all the time and
down in the dumps and depressed every day, depressed continually, you know what, I guarantee
you it's because one of these three things is just off kilter in their lives.
Either they've got sin in their life that's making them feel bad about themselves and
they can't respect themselves because of sin, or maybe number two, they're not living for
others.
They're living for self.
So they're down in the dumps all the time because everything's not going perfect.
They're all gloomy about themselves, or that person is not willing to take on any challenges
in their life.
They're not willing to take up the cross and follow Christ.
They're not doing anything hard.
And you know, trying to do everything the easy way makes you a non-joyful person.
But look at what, this is one of my favorite scriptures in Habakkuk chapter three.
Are you in Habakkuk?
Did everybody find Habakkuk?
Alright.
Habakkuk chapter three, verse 17, I like this scripture.
It says, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines,
the labor of the olive shall fail, and the field shall yield no meat, the flock shall
be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls."
Let me ask you this, does it sound like things are going pretty good?
Saying everything about his life is failing.
Everything's going bad.
The field, the herd, the house, everything.
He says, "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."
See, there's a way to find joy even when things aren't going right.
How do you do it?
You know what?
Habakkuk knew he was a righteous man.
He was living for God, and he joyed in the Lord.
He found happiness even when everything was going bad, total famine, total destitution.
He said, "I'll joy in the Lord."
He said, "I'll joy in the God of my salvation."
And you know what?
Habakkuk lived his life to preach the word unto others.
He suffered.
He endured hardship because every single prophet of the Bible endured hardship.
Every single prophet was persecuted.
Look, don't sit there and say, "Well, I'll be happy when things straighten out of my
life."
You need to get some joy in your life now.
You're making the people around you miserable with your frowning, glum attitude.
Be happy.
Cheer up.
Rejoice in the Lord.