Me, God, and Politics

While I speak about political matters in this post, this is not a political statement or argument, but rather a deeper look at me and my relationship with God in the midst of all the political controversy.

It’s been a long devastating week for me. But for you to understand why, I have to tell you about the events leading up to it. I have long been disappointed by the leaders of this country. In my mind, even if a rare person of integrity took office, the system has been so perverted by human pride, greed and the pursuit of power that it wouldn’t make much of a difference. Standing firmly by my personal policy—give me someone worth voting for and I’ll vote—I never registered to vote. That all changed when Mr. Trump won the Republican Party nomination. Something inside of me was violently adamant that he could not win. I felt I had to vote against him to know I’d done all I could to prevent his winning the election. To be transparent here, I voted third party because I believed my candidate to be a person of integrity and I also find Mrs. Clinton almost as reprehensible a person as Mr. Trump.

I spent weeks researching all the candidates and their platforms because if I was going to vote, I was going to do it the right way—I was going to vote for someone and not against someone. When I woke up last Wednesday morning to find that Mr. Trump had won the election, the news hit me so hard I became physically ill. The next few days, I talked with a mother who, because of the election results, will be losing her family’s health insurance next year. I heard from friends from the African-American and the LGBT communities feel threatened by the outcome. A teacher pointed out that the President-elect is a bully and asked how she is supposed to explain to her kids that bullying is wrong when their president is one. I’ve heard from women who have been sexually assaulted who feel as though they have been assaulted again by the outcome. After some soul-searching, I realized that Trump’s self-absorbed, narcissistic personally directly mirrors that of an abuser from my past. When I looked at or heard Trump’s voice, I was seeing and hearing this person from my past. The thought of someone like that once again having some kind of control over my life terrified me.

I took all of this to God. How do I get over the hurt that’s been rekindled? I admitted to God all of my unkind, un-Christ-like thoughts and feelings about our President-elect. First God released me from the chains of abuse I unknowingly put back on these last couple of months. Then he reminded me that even at their worst time, the Israelites who were in exile in Babylon had hope—For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13. My hope for the future doesn’t lie with Mr. Trump or any other government official. My hope is in Jesus. No matter who is in the Oval Office, Jesus loves me and is looking out for my best interest. He has plans for me to deepen our relationship and work through me to bring his message of hope and grace to the world. He also reminded me that it my responsibility to pray for the leaders of my country, whether I like them or not—First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4. I have seen prayer change hearts—those praying and those being prayed for. I may not like personality of the man who was elected, but God loves him and Jesus died for him. The least I can do is pray that he Spirit move in him.

To all those who have been disappointed with the election outcome— Mr. Trump is just a man. God is still God. He still rules and is still on your side. Lean into God’s loving embrace and know the security of his grace and power.