quiet your soul

I'm rarely ever political. Ironically enough, I was a political science major the first year of college. And thankfully, I never took a single political science class. Looking at our political condition in this country, I am hard-pressed to know if not getting involved in politics is a good thing or a bad thing.

There is a central role that I've seen in this political season that stands alone. Every person you know thinks the sun rises over their candidate and everyone is in a panic of where this country is going. You know what? It doesn't matter. It truly doesn't. Because God still has control. And what's more, in the end, when the stage is cleared and the curtain closes on this world, it's not going to matter a single bit who got elected in 2016. What will matter is how we treated others and Who we put our trust. What I see every election season is an insane trust in their candidate and in this country. We look to our government like we are looking to the heavens. Why would anyone put their trust in anybody? We are all flawed. We have all lied. We all have failed. No one is perfect. And we will all continue to be flawed, imperfect people no matter how much love and kindness we think we have in our hearts. Thanks be to God for His indescribable grace upon grace!

What I see the most in all this political banter is an insatiable appetite for pointing the finger with unflinching judgment and pointing out their mistakes and flaws. We are all so incredibly prideful. What if we stopped and took five minutes to consider that God is still present in all this confusion and chaos? For 240 years we have survived. Perhaps we'll have to survive another 4-8 years with another we don't agree with? Tough, that's life. Who are we trying to elect? We will never please everyone. Why are we name-calling? Are we still in the 4th grade on the school playground? We Christians have turned this election into some kind of pastoral election. We critique each candidate like we are going to sit through their sermons each Sunday. Oh, they've made mistakes? Well, who in the world hasn't? It's time to strip away the perfection line and realize that the man inside the Oval Office isn't always going to be what we think we need. But you know what? We aren't God. I have no doubt in my mind that God will use anyone that is elected. Just because someone isn't a Christian or doesn't fit our mold of what a President should look like, doesn't mean this world is over. God isn't a figure hiding in the shadows hoping that we'll be able to execute His plan for Him; He has dominion on this planet and will not withhold His power and sovereignty. It troubles me how much Christians put their trust in this country and in our leaders. If you truly trust God then why am I even having to say this? If you truly believe He is sovereign, you'll let go of all these requirements and expectations you have of this election, and realize that He knows better than we do. I want to remind you of something. Was there something you thought you really wanted and believed would happen and then suddenly, God shut the door? What if what you think you need and want is so far from what He wants? Give God the honor to be the guiding light in this darkness. We might be surprised as to what He will do with what we think is impossible. I realize that we are all afraid right now. Scripture tells us countless times to "fear not" and ironically enough, Christians seem to be the most fearful and terrified people you'll ever know. Who do you trust? But we must follow Him without fear and remember that He is still here and is still God. "Be still and know that He is God." In one week, go vote with the conviction of who God compels you to select. Let His will be done through this as it is in heaven.