Now that Election Day 2022 has come and gone, some of us are celebrating the fact that our preferred candidates won while others are dealing with the fact that the person who we supported didn’t get enough votes. While there’s nothing wrong with supporting candidates, it is important to understand that while we are residents of this world, our citizenship is in Heaven. Now that the election is behind us, it’s important that the Church knows how to go into the next chapter of our nation’s history.
The election of 2022 was one of the most hotly debated, highly contested elections in the history of the United States. The months leading up to the election saw a lot of emotion. Many people, including followers of Christ, found themselves engaged in arguments with friends, family members, and others on social media.
Now that the election is over, it’s important that the disciples of Christ know what to do next. You may be celebrating the fact that a candidate that you supported won his or her race. You may also be disappointed today since the candidate who you supported didn’t win.
There is nothing wrong with being personally invested in politics. In fact, supporting candidates who espouse Godly values and using your vote to try to help them further their cause is admirable. Millions of people have given their lives over the years so we would have the right to make our voices heard in our government. The nation that we call home was founded on the idea of overcoming “taxation without representation.”
However, no matter where you stand on the people who won their elections, it is important that you make your role as a disciple of Christ the main priority in your life.
The Bible doesn’t shy away from talking about government and politics. In fact, the second book of the Bible, Exodus, focuses heavily on a government leader who abused God’s people. For more than 400 years, the Israelites were under the rule of a tyrannical Pharaoh. During that time, God showed Himself faithful to His people. God has always and will always have a purpose for every individual who holds a position of authority in this world.
How should the Church react in the days following the election? God’s Word is clear about that answer, and we need to apply these principles to our own lives.
Finding Peace
Isaiah 26:3 (ASV)
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth thee.
62% of Americans say that politics cause some level of stress in their lives. A large portion of this stress can probably be attributed to the fact that political discord bombards us on every hand. When you turn on the news, you usually see people describing the terrible things that are going to happen if the “other party” wins an election. When you read the newspaper, you probably find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of doom and gloom that fills every report. It’s impossible to scroll through your social media feed without seeing multiple articles and arguments about the sheer terror of what could happen if either party wins an election. It is no wonder that politics cause more than half of Americans to experience stress.
As children of God, we must maintain our focus on Him. In the verse we just read in Isaiah, God was speaking to Isaiah during a particularly dark time in Israel’s political history. The Book of Isaiah was written when Israel had been taken captive in Babylon due to their own disobedience and the pursuit of false idols. The same Israel who had been led out of captivity in Exodus had allowed themselves to fall back into their old routines.
God promised perfect peace to everyone who would keep their minds and hearts pointed towards Him. When dealing with the fallout from an election, it’s important that we apply this principle to our own lives. With so many races on the ballot yesterday, there’s a good chance that at least one candidate that you supported didn’t win. If you allow yourself to listen only to the mainstream media, you may find yourself experiencing stress because of the loss.
Maintain your focus on God. While there were races in the 2022 election that will impact the way that our nation operates, we are children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. His power far outweighs any power that is held by a man or woman in a temporary office.
Accepting Submission
Mark 12:15-17 (TPT)
Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said to them, “Why are you testing me? Show me one of the Roman coins.” They brought him a silver coin used to pay the tax. “Now, tell me” Jesus said, “whose head is on this coin and whose inscription is stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Jesus said, “Precisely. The coin bears the image of the emperor Caesar, so you should pay the emperor his portion. But because you bear the image of God, you must give to God all that belongs to him.” And they were utterly stunned by Jesus’ words.
In this passage, the Pharisees were trying to trick Christ into breaking the law by telling people to defy Caesar. On the surface, their plot was smart. Many people assumed that the Messiah would help the Jewish people overthrow the Roman government, which was responsible for the persecution that they faced in the New Testament. However, Christ didn’t tell His people to rebel against the government. Instead, He gave them a command to submit to the governing authorities.
Humans have a naturally rebellious tendency. We usually don’t like being told what to do. That rebellious nature is typically magnified when the person who is making and enforcing the rules that we must follow isn’t the person who we wanted in office.
However, God’s Word is filled with commands for His people to submit to government authorities. Take a moment and turn your Bible to Romans 13:1-5. In those verses, Paul spoke to the Church in Rome about the importance of submitting to government authorities.
If you’re dealing with the fact that the candidate that you supported didn’t win, keep in mind the words that Christ spoke here. The people who won the elections in your area are in positions of authority over you, and God expects you to respect them and submit to them, assuming that they do not try to force you to do anything contrary to His Word.
No Matter Who Won, God is Still in Control
Daniel 2:20-21 (NLT)
He said, “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.”
Finally, we must remember that God knew the results of the 2022 election since before time as we know it began. While we view everything through the lens of time, God is not bound by that concept.
Much like Isaiah, Daniel penned these words during another time of bondage for the Israelites. This time, they had been taken captive in Babylon and were subject to multiple wicked kings and rulers. God spoke to Daniel and promised him that God was the one who sets kingdoms up and He is the one who brings them down.
The results of this election did not come as a surprise to God. In fact, He has ordained the results to fulfill His purpose for His people. When you embrace the fact that God is still in control, even when it seems like things are spiraling out of control, you do not have to give way to fear and anxiety.
A Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, today I pray for every individual who won an election yesterday. If they do not know You, make Yourself evident to them. I pray that You would use them to accomplish Your purpose for Your people who live in this great nation. Thank You for Your promise to keep us in peace, regardless of political results. In Christ’s name, Amen.