Even Though & Sure Footedness

“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle barns are empty,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
Able to tread upon the heights.” Habakkuk 3:17-19 NLT

Today I was having a little pity party for myself. Our household finally contracted COVID-19 and it’s been three weeks. My family has all been working and schooling from home…again. I was under the mistaken impression that at this point I’d be feeling better, but quite honestly, I don’t. My son’s grades started slipping again, there are some important things coming up for work and I feel that I need to be there. Again, it was a silly little pity party, but my morning devotional had these verses from Habakkuk, which was exactly what I needed hear.

Throughout these verses Habakkuk is telling us things are looking bleak. The trees and vines aren’t producing, and the animals are dead. This meant a loss of income and no doubt loss of food to provide sustenance. But mixed in with the bleakness he says two simple words, even though. Two simple words that were repeated three times, and we all know when the Scriptures repeat, it must be important. He might as well have said, even though I have no income, can’t pay my rent and I have no food. Even though Habakkuk was in a dire situation, he chose joy and strength from the ruler of all, “the Sovereign Lord”.  He didn’t have a pity party!

Just when I thought these verses couldn’t get any cooler I read, “He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” Only I didn’t realize it was so cool then, like what does surefootedness mean and is that even a word? Yes, it is. After some reflection today on surefootedness this is what I figured out. Deer are some pretty remarkable animals. They are gentle, regal, they can leap over obstacles and land ever so gracefully. Deer can be running fast and turn on a dime y’all! Look at the deer in the image above. That deer is standing while so confidently, so close to the edge of that cliff!

Sometimes, we could feel like we are standing on the edge of a cliff, pity party or not, we feel like it won’t take much to push us over the edge. Habakkuk gave us such a beautiful example in these scriptures.  God never said our lives would be free from strife, but He made us surefooted. We can fearlessly maneuver on that mountaintop; we can leap over obstacles with strength given to us from the Lord. Even though I was having a pity party, I realized I can be surefooted like a deer.