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When Joy Isn’t Automatic - Monday, 01/12/2026

Scripture: Habakkuk 3:16–19

Habakkuk doesn’t pretend life is fine. He names fear, loss, and collapse honestly. Crops fail. Income disappears. The future feels uncertain. And then he says something startling: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.”

That word “yet” matters. It signals a decision, not a feeling. Habakkuk chooses trust even when circumstances argue against it.

Biblical joy is not emotional denial. It’s defiant faith—a refusal to let fear have the final word.

Joy you can count on often begins as a choice long before it becomes a feeling.

Reflection Question:
What situation in your life makes joy feel hardest right now?

Concrete Practice:
Pray your own “yet” prayer: “Though ____, yet I will trust you, God.”

Prayer:
God, meet me in my fear and help me choose trust today. Amen.