But then Biden withdrew, and Harris stepped up. My friend Eric\u2019s analysis proved correct, as the numbers of undecided voters suddenly increased within a few days<\/a>. (Eric also prophetically told me many months ago that there was \u201cno way\u201d Biden would be the Democratic nominee come November.) Although some of my acquaintances find Harris\u2019s candidacy a very energizing turn of events, many others remain equally depressed about their November choices. In fact, those supporting Trump out of fear of the Democratic Party, are now experiencing increased anxiety over the conspicuous enthusiasm surrounding the \u201chistoric\u201d Harris\/Walz ticket and its apparent strength<\/a> in swing states. For some, this year\u2019s election is clearly becoming an emotional roller coaster.<\/p>\n For me, I\u2019m looking for my peace in all of this but it\u2019s really challenging. Presidential politics is an incredibly \u2014 and increasingly \u2014 difficult space for educated black evangelical Christians like myself with a historical understanding of how America arrived at the current level of social and political liberty enjoyed by its non-white citizens. Our dilemma is that national political rhetoric and prominent alliances, especially at the presidential level, presume that one party holds to biblically informed policies while the other party actively opposes those policies, or even God himself. That oversimplification is problematic enough, but then I know too much history to think that societies can\u2019t reverse previously granted liberties to minorities. I am aware of too many similarities between some contemporary political and judicial reasoning, and former examples<\/a> of the same that was purposely used to harm certain groups. I also have too much knowledge of the political tactics previously used to prevent some groups from exercising their constitutional rights.<\/p>\n This perfect storm of facts has caused me to not vote in recent presidential general elections. This year I may vote, but regardless, I will use the same principle this year that I used in previous years to guide my voting decision. I follow the maxim, \u201clet your peace be your guide.\u201d This comes from Colossians 3:15: \u201cLet the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.\u201d The word translated \u201crule\u201d here means \u201cto act as an umpire\u201d or \u201cto arbitrate or decide.\u201d The way I apply this is that if a communication, or way of thinking, or action, produces anxiety and worry within me, I presume there is something wrong with that communication, way of thinking, or action, and I alter them until I feel my peace return. I like how the Amplified Bible puts it: \u201cLet the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise].\u201d For several year I have felt at peace not<\/em> voting presidential general elections.<\/p>\n Philippians 4: 6-7 says said \u201cDo not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.\u201d (NIV) The word translated \u201cguard\u201d is a military term, so if we pray with a spirit of thankfulness, He promises that His peace will literally be a sentry to guard our heart and mind. After all, Isaiah prophesied that His name would be called \u201cPrince of Peace!\u201d (Isaiah 9:6)<\/p>\n Passages like these are very relevant to me because the vast majority of presidential level political rhetoric I read and hear disturbs my spirit, rather than nurturing the fruit of peace (Galatians 5:22). As soon as I feel fear rising up in me from a political communication I distance myself from it because I suspect that the communicator was intentionally trying to make me fearful (that is fearmongering, not providing useful information to a voter), and I don\u2019t want to subject my spirit to that kind of communication because Philippians 4:8 tells me that is unbiblical. Historians don\u2019t only ask what a document is saying<\/em>, but what it is doing<\/em>. We must be aware of what communication is doing, because in politics far more communications than not are dressed up as useful information, but in fact are designed to shut down thought. This kind of communication disturbs my spirit.<\/p>\n As Jesus made His Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem, He lamented that the city didn\u2019t know what would bring it peace. (Luke 19:42) As we head into the November 5 election, do you know what brings you<\/em> peace? If you do, are you nurturing that thing? May I suggest a few ways to nurture your inner peace?<\/p>\n Many years ago one of my friends said to me, \u201cI need to start my confessions again.\u201d I didn\u2019t ask him the details of what he meant, because in the context I understood what he meant, and one\u2019s confessions can be very personal. What are you confessing over your life? What are you confessing over this nation? Here is some of what I regularly confess:<\/p>\n Father, today I submit to your Lordship and call for Your Kingdom to come and Your will to be done in my life, my marriage, my family . . . South Carolina, and the United States of America, just<\/em> as it is done in heaven.\u201d\u00a0 I also confess, \u201cLord, I thank You, that I am part of the Body of Christ and satan has no power over me for I overcome evil with good. I am far from oppression and fear does not come near me because the Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? I will say of the Lord, \u201cHe<\/em> is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him<\/em> will I trust . . . For You shall give Your angels charge over me, To keep me in all my ways.\u201d Today I put on the whole armor of God, and I am victorious against my enemy and against his power, against principalities and against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. I declare that no weapon formed against me shall prosper because my righteousness is of the Lord.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n What are you<\/em> confessing? Do you need to start \u2014 or re-start \u2014 your confessions?<\/p>\n Do you know how to \u201cencourage yourself in the Lord\u201d as David did?\u00a0 I Samuel 30:6 says, \u201cAnd David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.\u201d Because David was such a psalmist, I suspect that in this dire situation he was able to encourage himself in the Lord by practicing the Pauline admonition from Ephesians 5:19: \u201cSpeaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord\u201d Does what you listen to, and what you sing, increase or diminish your peace? Does what you recite and what you see, increase or diminish your peace?<\/p>\n Finally, one friend texted the following to me this summer after reading a depressing political headline: \u201cI don\u2019t know what to feel. I know what I think, but the feelings are odd and uncharted somewhat. Just trying to figure out how I\u2019m going to not succumb to overwhelming anxiety.\u201d My response was, \u201cIt\u2019s time to draw closer to God and double down on your spiritual disciplines.\u201d<\/p>\n If you are struggling with anxiety, stress, fear, or emotional numbness because of our nation\u2019s political climate, how are you doing with your spiritual disciplines? If we don\u2019t continually practice these disciplines in our lives, our process of being formed into the image of Christ is being stalled or aborted, and worse, we are allowing our prosperity (an overabundance of things, things to do, and places to go) to overwhelm us, which Jesus says chokes our spiritual growth and makes us spiritually unfruitful (Mark 4: 1-20).<\/p>\n If you are struggling to manifest the fruit of peace in the midst of this presidential election campaign, how are you doing with practicing your spiritual disciplines? The most practical list I\u2019ve read is in Richard Foster\u2019s Celebration of Discipline<\/em> where he breaks them down into three kinds: Inward (meditation<\/a>, prayer, fasting, study), Outward (simplicity, solitude, submission, service) and Corporate (confession, worship, guidance, celebration). A thorough application of these disciplines changes us because they more thoroughly empower the Prince of Peace to rule our hearts, or inner man.<\/p>\n
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