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It was a win!

I’d lost so many times before that my entering this contest had become a beloved family joke. Still, I’m not a quitter, and my determination to do better was strong. The truth is, entering the contest was never about winning (well, a win would be nice, but that wasn’t the reason to enter). It was about doing better. So, when they called my name as the winner, I just sat there telling myself I wasn’t good enough. My friend shoved me out of my chair and screamed, “You won. Go!”

It's hard to believe how much punch is packed in the three tiny chapters of Habakkuk. We learn what a faithful servant and force he was for God, so when the children of Israel kept fouling up, Habakkuk’s frustrations with them and God hit an all-time high. He wheeled toward God and shouted his frustrations: “Why am I beating my head against a rock? The people don’t listen.”

But God, in His infinite wisdom, reminded Habakkuk that his continual efforts were noticed. Habakkuk learned to keep at it. The win will come, and God told him that. “I am going to do something.”

This servant of God kept on keeping on. He continued to carry the Word from God to the people even when he felt it was in vain, admitting all along that the Lord was his strength. Habakkuk did not quit, and God continued to use him.

We’ve heard it thousands of times: “No one promises that life is easy.” It isn’t, but with the determination of Habakkuk and the strength of the Lord, we will get through. Our win may be to get through the next day, or it may be a hard-earned effort finally rewarded. Whatever the task, we trust in the strength of the Lord.

Put your trust in a power that is far greater than your own. The strength you need daily is freely laid out for you. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Reach for the power found through Christ. It’s always a win.