As this bitter campaign narrows to a close, I for one am ready for it to end.

For months, many have used social media to fight for the cause leaving the rest of us feeling like collateral damage. Facebook makes me apprehensive with its onslaught of endless debates.

Fear and anxiety run rampant across the country. Americans remain divided and distraught over the options for commander in chief. Many believe the future of our country (along with our rights and liberties) may very well be at stake.

But I am not afraid. Nor am I angry. I am not the least bit stressed and honestly, I’m not even that surprised.

Because regardless of who is elected in November, my purpose will not change. And if you claim to follow Christ, neither should yours. 

No candidate, party or protest can ever thwart my purpose in life. The government is not ultimately in control of my safety, security, and future.

My God is.

He is bigger than electoral votes, campaign ads, or media bias. He is not bound by human authority nor is He swayed by it. His plan will continue to proceed according to His will, not mine. And even if I do not understand it, I do not have to wring my hands in fear.

“Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago?  You are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me? Is there any other Rock? I know of none.” Isa 44:8

Though these words were penned thousands of years ago to Israel, they are just as relevant to us today. Has God not foretold of these days? Has He not already warned us of things to come? That things will continue to get worse. That sin will breed more evil. That there will be wars and rumorsof wars. That mankind “will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers…without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power” (2 Tim 3:2-4).

And yet, God speaks to the heart of our anxiety and reminds us of the purpose we serve in the midst of a confusing and chaotic world.

Do not tremble. Do not be afraid.

“Worry and fear are about danger, perceived needs, and being out of control” (Edward Welch). This pretty much sums up what we’ve been seeing over the last several months. Even Christians have given no restraint to their anxious fretting and fears.

But what are our fears revealing about us? And who do they say we trust in?

When we can’t maneuver the political levers, when our perceived needs and security are threatened, when we fear imminent danger is near, how will we handle it as believers? To whom will we turn?

God knows our hearts, which is why He reminds us not to fear. In the midst of our chaos, He gives us Someone bigger to trust in: Himself. He has the ultimate power to deliver us from danger. He has the ultimate resources at His disposal to provide for our every need. And He is always, ultimately in control of every circumstance, government, and future.

You are My Witnesses

When we are afraid, we forget about God. His promises and track record of faithfulness get drowned out in our waves of anxiety. And so does our purpose. Which is why He takes care to remind us why we are here in the first place.

We’re here to represent. To be Jesus in a world that desperately needs Him. To be a light in the darkness. Hope in tragedy. Good in the midst of evil. A signpost pointing, “this is the Way, walk in it” (Isa 30:21). We are to love those who hate, bless those who curse. If our world is getting darker, shouldn’t we be getting brighter?

Sadly, I fear we have become just as lost. We’ve allowed ourselves to be distracted by all the shiny objects in the room. We’ve built castles made of sand and got comfortable in our personally established kingdoms.

But this is not our kingdom. This is not our home.

God did not fashion us for comfort but for adversity. All our hopes and dreams were meant to be in Him alone. Our faith and security were intended to be fastened to Him so that we would indeed be unshaken.

Perhaps these last few months have been our wake up call. A necessary self-reflection. What have you placed your security in? Where do all your hopes and dreams lie? And to Whom do you actually pledge your allegiance?

Now is the time to get it right. 

It’s time to decide what matters most. It’s time to be all in for Jesus, completely surrendered.

Things are only destined to get harder. The world ain’t gettin any better, that’s for sure. It’s time to strengthen our feeble knees and remember what on earth we’re fighting for.

If you’re worried about the election, my advice is this: Remember God. Remember which King you serve and which kingdom is worth investing in. “In the kingdom of God, He has made extravagant promises to us – promises of protection, liberation, and peace” (Edward Welch). Remember the heritage of faith our forefathers modeled for us, serving as a reminder of this one unshaken truth: In God, We Trust. 

May we be found today – and every other day – faithful and unshaken, trusting God regardless of what the next four years may bring.