Faith of Joy (2) : Delight in God Himself

Habakkuk 3:17-18

¹⁷ 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,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Why do we believe in God? For blessings, salvation, solutions to our problems, peace of mind. All of these, in the end, serve our own desires. We calculate in practical terms, asking first what benefit this brings to us. In doing so, we reduce God to a means—serving Him because of what we expect to receive. This is the condition of our faith: we do not truly love God. We are not free from the influence of evil, and so our devotion remains conditional.

Yet there is a different kind of faith. In the Bible, there is the confession of one who, having lost everything, still declares love for God. This is the faith seen in Book of Habakkuk—a faith that does not treat God like a genie or as a means. It is not about what God gives, but about loving, rejoicing in, and enjoying God Himself as the very end and purpose. “Have I lost everything? Even so, I still have God. I will rejoice in Him, delight in Him, and live in Him.” How is such faith possible?

The joy of the world comes from acquiring—consuming, possessing, gaining something desirable. But the joy of God is of a different nature. It arises from encountering what is holy. Even without gaining anything more, there is fullness and gladness simply in being in God. This joy fills every worldly lack and brings peace. The presence of God becomes a place of joy. Whether God makes our lives smooth or not, the peace He gives surpasses all circumstances. That is why we can still rejoice.

While I was preparing for pastoral ministry, I was fully funded on a generous scholarship. But in my final semester, I lost it all due to a misunderstanding. The financial support that had given me stability, along with the care and hospitality of those who supported me, disappeared all at once. I have lost everything in this world I once clung to, everything that once held me back. Nothing remained for me but God. However, it is in this very situation when I had lost everything that I became more radian, more alive. Answering to my prayers, God told me: I alone is enough for you. That’s when I truly learned that in this world, God alone is more than enough and I shall not fear a thing.

We often feel joy when suffering disappears. That is why we pray for relief. But there is a deeper joy found within God even in the midst of suffering. As expressed in Book of Psalms, even when walking through the valley of the shadow of death, there is no fear in Him. In that place, one becomes most alive—creative, full, grounded in the essence of being, reflecting a kind of majestic beauty. The beauty of God fills one’s life.

As it is written in Book of Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” At first, we may have followed God expecting what He would give. But now the prayer changes: that God Himself would become the goal of life, the entirety of our being. This is the faith of Habakkuk—not loving God merely for His power, but for God Himself. And this principle extends beyond faith into all relationships: even in human relationships, such as with a spouse, true love is not based on what one receives, but on who the other person is.

What a beautiful sermon this week as well! I really love how Pastor Lee Sang-Hak speaks about the essence of God—that is, the bright side of life, like love, joy, humility, or hope. Faith or religion doesn’t have to be something serious and stern. He does an excellent job in delivering God’s message with a childlike heart, making it all about the beauty and wonder of God’s love.

Conan O’Brian once said: There is nothing more liberating in this life than having your worst fear being realized. In the passage, Habakkuk has lost everything, and we can say that his worst fear has been realized. The pastor also shared his story of when he was a scholarship student. I can’t imagine being so loved and admired, receiving full funding, only to have it all taken away. I thought about what my worst fear is. A few years ago, my worst fear was unemployment, and now I find myself in that very situation!

So through the story of Habakkuk, the pastor’s scholarship years, and even Conan O’Brien, I feel that God is telling me this is the very moment when I am most free. Since I have nothing left but God. I don’t have a job that gives me confidence, I don’t have an income to rely on, and I don’t have a sense of stability at the moment. Everything feels uncertain. This is the perfect moment to rebuild my relationship with God and to live fully in Him. I have nothing else to cling, why not take this opportunity to explore God and truly seek Him?

Maybe God allowed me to lose the things I was so attached to—my career, my achievements, my social confidence—because this was the only way for me to return to Him. They weren’t idols in the religious sense, but they had become idols in my life—things I valued and adored more than God. Maybe I had drifted that far, and this was the only way back. Back to God, and back to the person I’m really meant to be. Because at one point, I really could not recognize myself anymore and I could not grasp of what I wanted to do with my life. So I was chasing the success defined by society as that was the only way I felt safe and confident. I knew something was not right, but for a long time, I did not have the courage to break from it and take another path.

Now I believe that God is guiding me on the right path, the one meant for me. He has given me the courage to let go of the path that was not mine. I still don’t know what the right path is, but I can feel that I am being led toward it. I know this because, even when I should feel the most anxious about my future and employment, I feel a sense of calm, as if everything is already alright. I feel safe here and now as I put God first in my life. So I no longer pray to pass the public exam I am preparing for, nor do I ask for the good things of life. I have learned that God’s grace is greater than my own plans and desires.

Instead, I pray to God every day to guide me on His path and to hold me firmly so I don’t drift away. I pray for the courage and wisdom to love Him and trust in His way. I pray to God to remind me everyday that I am safe under His wings, and that I don’t need to ask for things out of my own greed. God already has what is meant for me prepared. I also thank God everyday for everything he has given me: a decent home to live in, wellness of the mind and body, healthy food I eat everyday, happiness and joy in my heart, a sense of certainty that my life is safe in God, people I encounter, and good relationship with my wonderful dad.