Election seasons are stressful, and another midterm election has come and gone. Regardless of which side of the political aisle you sit on, most believers are facing politically-induced stress in some way or another. Throughout our democratic history, fear and stress have been used as a tool to mobilize voters. The fear and stress we feel from politics is a vicious poison, but Christians have an antidote: The Bible.
Let’s start by understanding that fear and anxiety aren’t interchangeable. Fear is the bodily response to a real or perceived immediate threat, while anxiety is the bodily response to a future real or perceived threat. What does the Bible say regarding our fears and anxiety?
When it comes to fighting stress and anxiety in biblical history, King David is a good example to follow. In Psalms, he writes, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” David overcame stress through intense introspection. He pondered about what he wanted most, what he felt powerless against, what he was afraid of and wished to avoid, and what he needed. David understood that wrestling with fear and anxiety in any situation required breaking it down into smaller, manageable pieces.
Take a moment and consider questions like these in your time with God. How can they apply to yourself and your country? Identifying our stressors can help us determine whether to look to God for action or for consultation. As David writes, “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” Too often, we try to lean on our own understanding, which causes us to falter and fall not just into anxiety and fear but also into sin. Trust God above all else-politicians included.
Take a moment and make a list (mentally or otherwise) like David would do for his fears and anxieties. How can we ask God what to take action on and what to listen for guidance on? Many issues we have could be resolved if we simply learned to trust in God, but many of us struggle to know how to walk with Him or ask Him for help when it comes to a changing environment we might not understand.
If we all trusted God all the time, we’d never be tempted to sin. Learning to walk with God and trusting him is easier said than done. It is a process requiring discipline and obedience. The fear and anxiety we get from election seasons can cause roadblocks in our walk with God. While elections change who our earthly leaders are, Christians can find comfort that our heavenly leader and king Jesus Christ is eternal.
Nuwell Christian Counseling can help you overcome the stress and fears that come with elections. Our counselors are supremely qualified and use faith-based therapy methods to provide counseling that is faithful and true. You and your counselor can work as a team to navigate your relationship to politics and to God; while growing in understanding for both.
