This morning, (November 7, 2012)
like so many Americans I woke up with the election on my mind, wondering what
the outcome was, although I had a feeling it would turn out as it did. I was
right. As soon as I rolled over, picked up my phone and checked out who our
next president would be, my heart became anxious. I tend to be a bit of a worry
wart. The truth is, I went to bed with an anxious heart. I started worrying
about my loved ones jobs, about the loss of values in this country, about our
kids futures, about my friends who have struggling small businesses, and about
the possible cuts to our military families who give so much to protect our
freedom. My worry became anxiety kept me awake last night for several hours. When
I do not place my focus in the right place, I tend to go to my worry place, and
that is not a good thing. Worrying gets me nowhere. Ever.
In Philippians 4:6-7, (one of my
favorite verses) it reminds us that we are not to be anxious about anything,
but rather, to take our requests to our Father, with an attitude of
thanksgiving and as we do this, we will receive peace that surpasses all
understanding. Following that, in verse 8, God’s Word tells us what we should focus
on instead. I have found that if I focus on the right rather than worry, not
only does it calm my heart, but it gives me peace. For me, finding peace in
this unstable world boils down to one thing, who do I put my trust in? Is it
other people, a president, money, things, or other various “idols”? Well, last
night when I went to bed, I think my mind was more focused on some presidential
election than on the power of God. Peace was hard to find because I was not
focusing in the right direction – upward.
This
morning, after I crawled slowly out of bed, I fell (gently) to my knees, and
spent a good deal of time in prayer for our country, our president and for
those I love who will be most affected by the outcome of this election. I
agonized in prayer for our hurting nation. I went out to the kitchen for a hot cup
of tea and some oatmeal and then I went to the only place that I could – God’s
Word. I quietly searched for Scriptures about trust. I found many verses. I
found peace, I found hope, and I found a God that is bigger than economic
instability, bigger than my fears and worries, and bigger than any presidential
election. God is still in control. He never stopped being in control. God is
able. God is faithful. If we are His children, we know that He already has the
victory, that His hands are upon us, and that He cares about us. He is stronger!
This is not
a political post. So please do not read it that way. It is not about who won or
who didn’t. It is about the hope of Jesus Christ. It is about trusting the only
One who is trustworthy. The president is not and never will be our Savoir. He is
just a man. We should never put our trust and faith in any man. Every man will
eventually fail. We must put our trust in our God. He is our only HOPE.
I am not
going to lie, I am concerned about the outcome of our choices in this nation.
Does it break my heart knowing that our current president supports the killing
of innocent babies? Absolutely. Do I believe that we are on the brink of an
economic cliff? I fear that we are. Do I believe that marriage is between one
man and one woman? Yes I do. Do I fear that my husband, son, daughter, or
friend could lose their jobs? Unfortunately, I do. But, the bottom line is, that
in spite of all of these things, I know that I can still put my trust in God. He
cares deeply about the lives of the unborn babies who have been killed and I’m
sure He grieves deeply. He sees the financial state of this nation. He hears
the cries of those who can barely make ends meet. He feels the pain of the
homeless. He understands the trials of the unemployed. He also sees the heart
of every man and will deal with those who act contrary to His Word. He is good,
but He is also just.
I want to
leave you with the verses that helped me find peace this morning. I urge you to
meditate on them and to renew your trust in the Lord. I am going to do the same
in these uncertain days. I say uncertain, but the truth is that they are not
uncertain. God already wins in the end. God is victorious. He never changes. There
is no uncertainty about the future for us believers. We are His and He is with
us. Do not lose hope. He is bigger, and He is stronger. May God bless you with
peace in the coming days. May these verses point your heart and your eyes in
the right direction. As always, thank you for reading.
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