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Election Anxiety and Politcal Fear. Every year political winds blow, whether in a news story, congressional action, or Supreme Court ruling. Perhaps no time, however, is as politically charged as during an election season. This causes election anxiety and political fear. I deliberately posted this before Election Day. Posting now means I have no idea who the winner will be because that isn't the point of this post. Our vision of the country and how it should be led are put up for a public vote, a popularity contest through which we often seek validation for our ideals. We rally around our cause or candidate and many times we lose. Politics isn’t just about polls, figures, and policy bullet points, but our lives, families, and deeply held convictions. When we lose, therefore, it can cut us deeply. If we are to overcome election anxiety and political fear, then we need to think rightly about the Kingdom of God. Often in our desire to comfort ourselves, we retreat into a sentiment of, “Well at least we still have Jesus.” Now finding comfort in Christ is by no means a wrong thing, but rather than him being our first focus, he can many times our secondary one. Unfortunately, looking to Christ can be what we often do only after what we really want, political achievement, is no longer a possibility.  Sure, we want the Kingdom of God, but first we want the kingdom of this world, and then the other stuff can come. Only after we can’t have the kingdom of this world, we think “Well at least we can look for the kingdom to come.”

The Kingdom of God isn’t your consolation prize. The Kingdom of God isn’t a salve for your dashed political aspirations. The Kingdom of God isn’t what you settle for because you can’t have the type of representation that you want to have in this world. The Kingdom of God is the sovereign reign of the risen Christ. The Kingdom of God is the pervasive kingship of Jesus over every facet of life. The Kingdom of God is the eternal hope and steadfast conviction of Christians of every era. It is only a kingdom because there is a King, Christ Jesus; and King Jesus isn’t biting his nails over presidential candidates. “He removes kings and sets up kings” (Dan 2:21). Furthermore, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will (Proverbs 21:1), for, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” (Psalm 115:3).

So how should we relate to the politics of the world? We should “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matt 6:33). This means that we seek his dominion, his reign, his law, and his righteousness over all of life. We dedicate our lives, passion, and every material thing we own to his service. As a knight would kneel before his King to pledge his service to the advancement of his crown, so we must kneel to pledge our undying loyalty and service to our Heavenly King.

You cannot have a kingdom without a king. When the Bible says Jesus is king, it means a real king, not just a king of our imaginations, not just a king of our hearts, or a king of our private belief system, but a king over the entire universe. The title “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” means just that; Jesus Christ is the King over all kings and the Lord over all lords that ever have or will exist. God by his power raised Jesus from the dead and as Ephesians 1 says “…seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (v.20-23).

The rule of Christ, the dominion of Christ, and the Kingdom of Christ cannot be disconnected from the church of Christ. Where on earth do you see the best expression of the Kingdom of God in its physical reality? You see it, in the local church. Christ is head of the church, and there as 1 Peter 2:9 says, is his “Holy Nation.” Despite a church’s errors, faulty leadership, or faulty members, Christ’s Kingdom has its visible representation in the church. As stated before, this is because where the king is, there is the Kingdom. That is why when Christ came he told the people that the Kingdom of God was among them because he was among them (Luke 11:20). When the church gathers, in a special way, there is Christ.

Now we acknowledge the current reign of Christ, and yet we can look around and see that not all is as it should be. Hebrews 2:7-9 answers this very dilemma,

“You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.’ Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

So we see him crowned and nothing is outside his control, yet we don’t currently see everything in subjection to him. The answer the author of Hebrews gives is that the gospel is at work; for Jesus was “crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

Our pledge means loyalty to Christ’s mission, and he has given the Church a clear mission as the visible representation of the Kingdom of God on earth. This is commonly known as the Great Commission. And how does that commission begin? It does not begin with “go” as many assume, it begins with the authority of Christ, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matt 28:18). With this authority we as citizens of the heavenly kingdom march forward. All heaven and earth are God's, and thus we seek the spiritual domination of the planet. This is not done by mere political action but can only be carried out by the Gospel. While the Great Commission will never succeed simply by our effort, the Great Commission will succeed ultimately in its intent (whether for mercy or judgment) because Christ has all authority to bring it about, and Christ does not fail.

We then are heralds for a Kingdom not of this world, for the Kingdom of God is inseparable from the Gospel. Multiple times it is described as “The Gospel of the Kingdom” (Matt 4:23, Matt 9:35, Matt 24:14, Mark 1:14-15) in which men repent and believe. No other entity on earth has this task. The proclamation of the Gospel is given to the church, and if the church fails to be loyal to Christ in doing so, no hospital, charity, college, institution, non-profit, or any other entity has been tasked with this unique mission from God. Robert Benne Says:

"If the most important event that ever happened in human history is the coming of Christ, then the essential and unique mission of the church... is its calling by God to proclaim that gospel in word and sacrament. The gospel of Christ is its treasure; the church is the earthen vessel whose sacred obligation is to proclaim the gospel and to gather people around that gospel, forming them through the Spirit in the Body of Christ.

No other institution has that calling; no other institution will promote the gospel if the church fails in its task. So churches must take with the utmost seriousness the terrible simplicity of their task. Of course, they must be engaged in deeds of charity, and they must be concerned with justice. Of course, they must involve themselves in many other activities - financial, administrative, and educational. Of course, they must witness in the public sphere. But the church is not primarily a political actor, a social transformer, or an aggressive interest group. If it acts primarily as one of these, it is identified and treated as one more contentious worldly group. What's more, it loses its own integrity, its own reason for being.

Currently we are witnessing many churches losing confidence and zeal for their essential and unique calling. They no longer believe their gospel message is of utmost importance. They marginalize it in their own actives and institutions."[1]

So what do we do with our election anxiety of political fears? In the middle of election season, it can be natural and reflexive to have a growing election anxiety within us. With elections come hopes, dreams, and desires for your chosen candidate; and fears, worries, and anger over the other candidate. Everyone wants to win, and no one wants to lose, but as elections go, someone will get the spot, and the other person will not. I remember elections where I was in despair and depression over the results because of my emotional investment. That’s because elections are not just about the policies, candidates, or parties; they are also about all the emotions and passions we attach to them. So here are a few suggestions on how you can combat election anxiety or political fears:

  1. Identify the emotions you are feeling. Unnamed feelings can control us in ways we are not aware of. When emotions remain subconscious, they affect us even when we don't know it, so name them and make them conscious feelings.
  2. If your candidate (or cause) loses, grieve. It's okay to feel bad about a loss. You may be angry; you may feel unheard; you may feel alienated from other citizens. Recognize it for what it is, and allow yourself to feel and process through what you lost. Discover the Christian act of lament to help you through the grief rather than falling into unhealthy modes of dealing with the sorrow.
  3. Take a social media fast. Thanks to social media platforms, there is so much unnecessary drama in the world. While social media may expand communication, it can also heighten and exacerbate anxiety and anger. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to step away for a while. When it comes to arguing on social media, there is no end, so take a week or two away. You won't miss out on anything. The arguments will still be there later. Social media can pour salt on an open wound. What you need first is to heal.
  4. Identify your idols. If you are feeling overly anxious, what are you anxious about or anxious about losing? When we have excessive worry, it can help us identify what we may be trusting in or longing for more than God. We can make idols even out of good things and good causes, and our hearts become more attached to them than God himself, who is the source of all goodness. While there is nothing wrong with caring deeply, despair isn't where God wants us to live.
  5. Focus on those around you. Your family, friends, church, coworkers, and neighbors are all in your life for a reason, and you can do far more good in their lives than any political candidate who lives far away ever could. The most powerful change happens through relationships, and the most significant effect you can have on this world comes through love, kindness, caring, and listening to those in your immediate life.
  6. When you are ready, talk to someone you know who voted or thinks differently. Talk not to argue, not to debate, but to learn and build a bridge in their lives. What concerns did that have? What hopes do they have? What fears do they have? When you are genuinely curious, it opens the door for others to be curious about you, and that's when real understanding happens. We are not all that different from each other; what we need more of is to see each other as real people and not just caricatures. When we can build understanding, we can make a difference that brings real change.
  7. Pray. If you have anxiety because of the election or political occurrence, the Bible has a verse for you, "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7
  8. Trust God. He is the one who is in control. Daniel 2:21 says that he removes kings and sets up kings. God is sovereign, and everything is happening according to his will. It does not take him by surprise. He already knows the outcome. And God knows what he is doing. We may not understand what he is doing, but that's not what we are called to. We are called to simply trust.
  9. Advance the heavenly kingdom. Sometimes, we can be so anxious about an election because we feel powerless about what may happen to the country that we live in. Powerlessness often breeds inaction and sluggishness. Instead, realize that God has given his people a mission. You have a cause that is larger than yourself, larger than a country, and even larger than this planet. You can advance the kingdom of God and be busy with eternal change.

When we are Loyal to Christ, we seek first his Kingdom and the righteousness of him, day by day, and let him work out the details. So, as election day looms, take stock of your heart. Use the uncertainty you are feeling to assess what your trust, your hopes, your comfort, and your solace are in. Far from apathy towards the things of this world, when you are heavenly-minded, you are more earthly good. The future is always uncertain, but the God we serve is never uncertain. So vote, do your part, pray, and let God do the rest. We should not be anxious enough to lose sight of the primacy of his Kingdom no matter what political tides may come, or how dark it may get. So what will you do? Where do your loyalties lie? Will you despair over some ideal that is fading away? Or will you see this as a time when the light of God’s Kingdom can shine brighter? Will you retreat into one of the two ditches of isolation or conformity to the world? Or will you be Loyal to Christ, by being Loyal to what Christ is loyal to? This is not a call to political apathy nor is it a call for inaction. Far from it, it is a call to gospel-shaped, gospel-motivated, and gospel-formed action. We must seek first his Kingdom and not treat it as a mere consolation prize, for if we can grasp hold of his Kingdom we have grasped the eternal riches of his glory. When we have a proper vision of God’s Kingdom we trade election anxiety for bravery, and political fear for courage. March forward with valor.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”[2]

 

[1] Amy E. Black and Stanley N. Gundry, eds., Five Views On the Church and Politics, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015), 69-70.

[2] J R R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, one volume ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1994), 50.