I’m writing this from the past – Monday to be precise. I have no idea who won. But I’m convinced, no matter who it was, we should do these three things now. Whether your candidate lost or now holds the nuclear codes, these three things are your best option.
1. Pray
If the other guy (or girl) won, it’s time to pray. And no, not that they get assassinated or decide they don’t want to deal with the pressure of running America. Pray that God would get ahold of them. Pray that God would accomplish His purposes through them. Pray that God would bless them.
All authority is established by God (Romans 13), and we’re told to pray for those who lead us (1 Timothy 2). For…not against.
2. Make Peace
We don’t wrestle against flesh and blood. The presidential nominee is not your enemy. People who voted for the presidential nominee are not your enemies.
We’re commanded, as much as it’s within our power, to live at peace with everyone. That means it’s up to you to extend an olive branch. Whether you’re on the winning side or the losing side, you can make peace. Go out of your way to listen to those who disagree with you. Show unrestrained love and compassion for them. Find someone who will be disadvantaged by the presidential nomination and do for them what the government can’t.
You might not be able to fix the world, but you can extend peace.
3. Believe
Finally, this is our opportunity to believe that God can accomplish His will no matter who is in power. God has never been handicapped by a president, dictator, or populous gone wild. He won’t be handicapped now either.
So it’s up to us to believe – to stand in courageous faith – that good things will happen. Policies might not be what we want them to be, but hearts can be turned toward God. Policies don’t matter when we submit to the authority of God.
This is not the end of the world, and it’s not the beginning of the world getting fixed. This election, frankly, is inconsequential in light of eternity. Let’s not get so bogged down in the temporal that we lose sight of God’s plan on earth and in heaven. The world is bigger than the United States, and God’s plan is bigger than even the world. Our part in that plan is not who we vote into presidency; it’s much bigger than that.
Good exhortation, Jonathan!