I am disappointed. My March Madness brackets (college basketball tournament) did not allow me to win “the pick ‘em” tournaments that I entered! Truth is, I have been disappointed before. I whined when my high school volleyball team didn’t win the city championship. I was devastated when John “Wooden’s reign was over in Westwood”. I hated it when my dad wouldn’t let me stay in Europe by myself when our family was relocated to California.

It is one thing to be disappointed over trivial matters. It is a whole different ballgame when serious disappointment becomes devastation. Just in the recent few months, I have had several friends receive diagnoses of cancer or another life altering disease. We had several deaths in our school family. I know a number of moms and dads out of work.

It doesn’t take long to notice that hurting people are all around us.

Disappointments abound.

And that got me to remembering a favorite passage in the minor prophet, Habakkuk. Just to set some context, Habakkuk probably preached his messages just before the Babylonians captured Jerusalem. He would have experienced first-hand the fear of a coming domination, the pain of seeing friends and family suffer though the siege and the anguish of praying and waiting on the Lord to see deliverance.

In the last chapter, Habakkuk’s prayer is recorded for us. As you read through the verses, you can almost hear his voice rise to a crescendo. Despite the devastation and turmoil, they had all just experienced and the lack of hope for the future, listen as the preacher thunders out his confidence.

“… 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 TH LORD, I WILL BE JOYFUL IN GOD MY SAVIOR (Hab. 3:17-18).

What a message for all of us this week. During everyday trials or life altering devastations, regardless of our disappointments and fear, we too must turn our eyes toward heaven and with confidence declare, “YET (in spite of what is going on) I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD!”

So, if you are in the midst of ‘it,” go get a few 3 X 5 cards or post-it notes and just write down “YET” on all of them. Stick the cards all around the house, in the car and at work. Maybe that will be enough of a reminder to help you confidently finish off that verse…” yet I will praise Him.”