Let Peace Reign in the Midst of Election Anxiety.
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There has never been an election like this one and today is an important day for our nation. There have been conspiracies, scandals, upsets, doubt, fear, division, social media fights, public fights and the list goes on and on. As you watch the election and you watch the numbers come in for which candidate was elected in which state I would like to redirect your attention to the God in heaven who is not absent from what is happening here. He is not sitting in heaven, celebrating the Cubs winning the world series and disregarding what is happening right now.
As I prayed about what to share with you the one word that I continued to come back to was “peace”. The past couple of months have been filled with fear and anxiety concerning the political condition of our country. Every time we turn on the tv or scroll through social media we are bombarded with “facts” and people screaming at us about who we need to vote for and what happens to our future if we don’t listen to their opinions. Whenever fear, doubt and anxiety are the tools used to prod us to make a decision we need to know the enemy is at work. We need to step back and assess the situation before we speak, before we post, before we make decisions, we need to ask God HIS opinion before we take any steps.
Today, we need to be lead by peace. Peace comes when our trust in God outweighs what we see with our natural eyes. Peace comes when we trust that He is in control regardless of who is elected. Peace comes when we know He is the author and finisher of our faith, not the media. Peace comes when we remove ourselves from the position of judge and jury and place that role back into God’s hands. Peace comes when we can come into agreement with what God is speaking over our nation, even if it seems impossible. In moments like these, peace is possible because Jesus is the Prince of Peace and we need to invite Him to rule and reign in our hearts.
Don’t let worry lead you to believe that God is not in control. From the beginning of time He has taken the messes humanity had created and He has created beauty from ashes and this is no different. I believe He is placing a demand on His people to rise up and be the church in the world. We have an opportunity to speak with grace and truth, we have the opportunity to speak life where nothing but death has been spoken, we have the opportunity to stand with peace knowing our God is in control, we have the opportunity to point people to Jesus. When people ask you why you aren’t panicking you get to share with them the One who is your source of peace. You get to share with them all of the times God has showed up for you personally and how He is going to show up now too. We have the opportunity to glorify Him, not fear.
He is the same yesterday, today and forever and He changes not, politics will NOT paralyze God, it will not dethrone Him. If anything, we will all get a front row seat to see how God is going to be God in this moment. We get to call on His greatness, we get to call on the miraculous, we get to call on His authority, we get to call on His power, we get to call on His love for His creation.
If you find yourself worrying pray. Stop what you are doing and pray and don’t stop until you have peace. Do not allow worry to overtake you, when you catch your thoughts slipping into an unhealthy train of thought read these scriptures out loud and believe God means what He says:
“casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 )
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” (Psalm 56:3)
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)
“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Luke 12:25)
“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace--as in all the congregations of the Lord's people.” (1 Corinthians 14:33)
Father I thank you for for every person reading these words. They have been placed here on earth for this season to rise up and be the church in the world. Thank you for understanding that we are human and we allow things that really don’t matter overtake us, would you give us peace when fear begins to creep in? Be present today, give us eyes to see your mighty hand at work. Remove mountains, silence the lips that lie, cancel every assignment of the enemy, reveal every hidden thing and may YOUR WILL be done today. We ask that this would truly be one nation under God and that you would rule and reign. We give you permission to be God in this moment and we ask that you would be glorified. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
