Is it possible to be invested in the outcome of something, but then not be overwhelmed by that outcome when it goes against our wishes?
Well, this election cycle has been a test of that theory for many. Maybe the 2020 election turned out the way you wanted. Maybe it didn’t. If you find yourself in the latter category, you may also find yourself feeling disappointed . . . even to the point of feeling apathetic. After all, you’ve done your duty, and it didn’t work out. What’s the point of being involved in America’s public affairs, you may think, when your voice will likely only be squelched again?
While these feelings are understandable, they are not truthful. Just because it seems like your voice was squelched in the 2020 election does not mean that you should just go silent. Now is not the time for giving up on America or our civic duties. So, how can we be invested in our nation’s affairs but not overwhelmed by the unpredictable turn of events?
1. Perspective. Whether things are going our way or not, we must keep a heavenly perspective. As Christians, we know the end of the story. We know who has the trump card (no pun intended, really). Revelation 19 paints the picture of Jesus Christ returning to Earth for the second time, this time as a conquering King, with the words, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OR LORDS” written on his vesture (v. 18). We know that when everything is said and done, “every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:11) and that He will create “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1). Most comforting of all, we know that if we are with Him, we are also on the winning side. Romans 8 explains that God will work all things together for good to them that love him. Verse 31 says, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” and verse 37 declares that “we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” This assures us that no matter what happens here and now, we will be on the winning side in the end. Now, this is not just a pat answer to give out when things don’t go your way. Neither is it a flag of truce to wave when we feel that our country is drifting further from our Constitutional and biblical principles. This truth is meant to give us the perspective that while politics is important in the here and now, it is still just another temporal and fleeting institution of this world. We have a higher calling, a greater loyalty, and an ultimate victory in Christ. Through the wins and losses, the highs and lows, this truth is meant to ground us through it all.
2. Persistence. As we mentioned before, just because politics is temporal doesn’t mean that it is unimportant. God intends for us to live in the time and place He has given us, and He expects us to be an influence in that time and place. Matthew 5 calls us “the salt of the earth” (v. 13) and “the light of the world” (v. 14). This means that we preserve and influence our time and place. We must be persistent with this God-given responsibility. Romans 12 gives us many ways in which we can be influencing our sphere. According to Romans 12:11-12 we are to be “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” Ephesians 6 tells us to suit up for the battles of the Christian life and admonishes us to be “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (v. 18). These passages use words like continue, always, and perseverance. In other words, we are to be persistent in the tasks that God has given to us, even through disappointment or discouragement. This means that we do not stop doing everything in our power as American citizens and as citizens of heaven to seek the earthly outcomes we desire. We continue to vote. We continue to witness. We continue to educate our family, friends, and children on the issues that touch our lives and our nation. We continue to pray for our nation’s leaders and our neighbors. We continue to support candidates that we believe will best serve our country. We continue to follow the prompts that the Lord gives us, whether they be prompts to serve in ministry or in the public sphere.
3. Passion. Above all, we cannot let our disappointments squelch our passion. Fear doesn’t have to steal our saltiness or dim our light. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” With God’s help, we can still have influence, we can still love others, and we can still think clearly no matter who is President of the United States. No matter what is taken from us, our passion is something that only we control. Our passion for the gospel and the liberty it brings for souls should propel us to share it with others. As Americans, our passion for the Constitution and the liberty it brings to citizens should propel us to keep speaking out and taking action. Keeping our passion alive means we educate ourselves on where we came from as a nation and on what is going on currently within our borders and worldwide. Keeping our passion alive means that we are immersing ourselves in God’s Word and prayer. Now is not the time for apathy or lethargy. As Ephesians 6 says, now is the time to suit up for battle.