To the Christian Nervous About the Upcoming Election

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6

Join me in prayer as we lift up our nation, leaders, and people:

Faithful Father,

We come to you with anxious hearts as our country is at a tipping point. Change is coming; we know this full well. We don’t want to walk into this election season with trepidation. So, we pray for Your sovereignty, mercy, and grace in our beloved country. We pray for our freedoms, especially our religious freedom, and that we will have a voice for You, Lord. Bless our nation and be the hand that covers it with Your healing and protection. God, speak into the lives of our leaders, those in office and those running for an elected position. Please give them discernment to choose life, religious liberty, and justice that holds true to the values on which this country was founded. Open the eyes of our elected officials and provide them with wisdom to reclaim this land to honor and glorify You, O God. 

We ask all these things in Your precious Name. Amen.

As we tread into this mid-term election season, let’s be mindful who is pulling the strings of fear. No matter what may happen, we mustn’t let evil distract us by messing with our emotions or leading us down dangerous trails of thought. Because he will. The deceiver will do all He can to take residence inside our minds. It’s just like him. And fear is one of his greatest weapons. 

Don’t back down, my friend. Remember who you are (Genesis 1:27)! And know that the hunt usually intensifies when calamity strikes because it makes for easier targets. Be vigilant and up your game (1 Peter 5:8)! 

Here’s how:

Fight on Your Knees

Our pastor once told us a story about an army that was camping out in the wilderness, strategizing their next attack, when they heard rustling in the brush. They peeped out of their tents to see their enemy closing in. Their army was massive. The defeat looked inevitable. Yet, the general proceeded to call on his chief commanders, and they huddled up, fell to their knees, and prayed. They gave their fears over to God and took turns praying throughout the night. The next morning to their surprise, their entire unit was completely untouched.  

There were later accounts of this happening during WW1 as the Germans attacked but quickly stopped as they saw their opponents covered by a source of unexplainable light, causing them to cower down. The jury is still out as to what actually happened, but I am not surprised. God hears our prayers!

Psalms 145:20 states that the Lord protects those who love Him but destroys the wicked. That verse, among so many others scattered throughout His Word, reveals God’s promise of protection. So, when all hope seems lost, and you find yourself surrounded by the enemy, find peace in knowing that God hears your fervent prayers. 

Seek His Wisdom 

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5

God is generous with His wisdom; all we have to do is ask. Sounds simple enough, right? Unfortunately, being constantly surrounded by so many mixed messages, it can be difficult to discern what is fact or what has been fabricated. 

To seek God’s wisdom, we must pull away from the noise and distractions (Psalms46:10). Get quiet, turn over your heart, and listen. While we may not audibly hear God, He does speak to us in a variety of ways—most often through His Word. He also uses our current trails, the Holy Spirit, and His own creation to softly whisper to us.

God’s wisdom displays His nature—pure, holy, righteous, peaceful, impartial, and full of grace. When we get to know Him personally through His Word, we begin to understand His character and can determine what is Truth and what is not.

The beauty of God’s wisdom is that it brings knowledge to a place of confusion. It casts out fear and allows us to blindly trust. It helps us make choices that promote peace. It allows us to shift our focus from ourselves to others. It causes us to surrender our will and our ways, knowing whole-heartedly that God’s will and way are best.

As the election draws near, we can seek God’s wisdom. Asking Him to lead and guide us as we decide on the best candidates for our family, community, state, and nation. Seeking His will to be done, fully trusting Him.

Spread Hope

There is enough bad news to go around. Just turn on the tv... or don’t. You may have heard it put this way: the enemy isn’t hiding anymore. Well, unfortunately, he never really hid. However, his tactics have changed, and he’s gotten bolder thanks to the spread of information at our fingertips. Evil can pretty much present itself just about anywhere, anytime. 

As much as it may “feel” like God is MIA, He is not watching from afar. Countless verses remind us of God’s omnipotence and omnipresence (Isaiah 40:28, Proverbs 15:3, Acts 17:24). God is with us as we muck through these tumultuous times. He walks beside us, before us, and behind us as our constant Source of hope in a lost world.

We are called to share that Source of hope with others. Not sure how to do that? Let the Holy Spirit lead you as you learn ways to love the difficult neighbor, be patient with the challenging co-worker, or lend an ear to the frustrating friend. Show a little compassion by stepping up in simple ways to reach out to those who may have a different view than your own. 

Spreading hope in these times is desperately needed. It is the best way to combat the fear circulating election time. In simple acts and gestures of kindness, we can open up conversations and allow Jesus to step in and take the lead. 

Go Vote 

While some believe politics and faith don’t mix, I believe that goes against God’s nature. We must first realize that all authority comes from God. After all, we pray that His kingdom will one day reign on earth as it does in Heaven. God designed authority to have order and peace. That being said, God may have ordained human government for the goodwill of the people, but it is still ruled by flawed, sinful people. This is why we put our full trust in God, not man.

Romans 13:1-4 tells us to submit to our governing authorities. Respect the law, pay taxes, participate in civic duty, and vote! However, if we don’t feel comfortable with how things are, we have a voice by casting a ballot. 

So, how do we know who to vote for?

The bottom line is that no party or government leader on either side will uphold every Christian value.  Where some issues and morals are important to one party group or leader, they may not be for another. That doesn’t mean we idly stand by and just hope for the best or expect the worse. We seek God’s wisdom.

Will your vote even count?

Yes, your voice matters! As believers, we must take elections seriously and take that privilege to choose with utmost importance. Casting our ballot is the least we can do. Praying for our leaders to have discernment in these times and soften their hearts is a huge part of the election process. 

Last, remember this: God will protect His people. He disciplines the nations and leaders that go against His Word. Justice isn’t ours, it’s God’s (Jeremiah 18:7-10). So, rest assured that God is fully in control. 

God Bless America!

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Alicia Searl is a devotional author, blogger, and speaker that is passionate about pouring out her heart and pointing ladies of all ages back to Jesus. She has an education background and master’s in literacy.  Her favorite people call her Mom, which is why much of her time is spent cheering them on at a softball game or dance class. She is married to her heartthrob (a tall, spiky-haired blond) who can whip up a mean latte. She sips that goodness while writing her heart on a page while her puppy licks her feet. Visit her website at aliciasearl.com and connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.