Anxious about the election?

Does the election make you feel nervous? On the edge of your seat? Uncertain? Anxious?

You’re not alone.  OnePoll just released their poll that reveals 55 percent of Americans think Election Day 2020 will be the most stress-filled day of their lives.   According to the American Psychological Association, nearly 70% of U.S. adults say the presidential election is a significant source of stress in a survey this month.

It is everywhere, dominating television, radio, and news outlets. It’s the stuff of neighborhood discussions, gatherings of family members and workplaces.

My neighborhood online chat group that used to talk about the best roto-rooter and the newest neighborhood restaurants is now a presidential free-for-all debate. Facebook and Twitter are virtual mud-slinging fests.

Most people have picked a side and then gathered fellow tribe members and together you share perceived triumphs over the other side.

We simply cannot get away from it. And with the uncertainty of our news sources, no one knows what to believe.

No wonder we feel anxious.

Reality Check

There is much passion on both sides. People of good faith and conviction stake out positions, often on opposite ends. That’s the nature of humankind. We’ll never really agree on anything. But something to remember is that even if the election goes my way, all my troubles won’t be solved.

Think about it. When have politics ever saved us from harm, let alone saved us from ourselves? 

With a year of pandemic, civil strife and unrest, we place hopes and dreams with a single candidate, thinking they will make everything all right again.  We believe the outcome of the presidential race will right all the wrongs. Many believe that if their candidate gets selected or their proposition gets passed that all will be good. This has never been true in the past and it will never be true in the future.

Our slide toward inhumanity to each other, if left unchecked, will continue. Our divisions will deepen. Our disdain for decency will continue.

Many Americans say that 2020 is the absolute worst.  Do you really think a president will undo that, will make the country whole again? Neither candidate is perfect. Neither side will heal all wounds.

I have news for many of you. In this high-stakes horse race, ½ of the people will have bet on the losing pony. You will feel defeated. You will think the world around you will crash.

It won’t.

Might does not make right

We think that if we can just get 50.01 percent of people on our side then we will be vindicated, that we will be right.  This is actually the rule of the mob and throughout history has shown itself to create more problems than it solves.

We have another Kingdom, one that doesn’t need a political win on this earth to flourish.

For centuries, God’s faithful believers have lived through despots, knaves and fools as kings and rulers. The Church has survived tyrants, dictators, and simpletons at the helm. Since we are in the world, but not of it, our purpose transcends politics.

That’s the city on a hill we should long for. The Kingdom of God transcends any party, any platform, any body politic.

Do not be anxious.

Let me leave with some words of hope. Meditate on these. Print them. Hang them in prominent places. Share them on social media. They might just be the difference in your life or someone else.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”  Psalm 20.7

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”  Colossians 3:15

“Do 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.”  Philippians 4:6-7