Now What?

I generally stay away from posting about politics, but now that the results are in, I wanted to share some brief thoughts on the subject as we move forward. Despite how we may feel about the results of this year's election, may we all remember that:

God is good. He has given me (and us, collectively) so much, and nothing that goes on in the world of politics can change that.

God is in control. I have no idea how things are going to play out, but He does.

God works outside the confines of the American political system. He is far bigger and greater than we give Him credit for.

God, the Gospel, and our purpose have not changed. We are called to love those around us. That's what our life is about. That hasn't changed.

We, the Church, are not limited to our ability to vote for a particular political individual or party to enact change. Our influence reaches into the lives of those around us by other means. We can do more. We are called to care for widows and orphans, to give a helping hand, not just to cast a vote and call it good.

Fear hinders us only if we let it. The future is unknown and scary, but God knows what it holds. We're called to be faithful to the end, not cowering in the face of change or challenges. We can tap into God's strength and press on even when we don't know what lies ahead.

God allows all things to happen for a reason and makes it all work out for good and His glory in the end. Even when we can't see it because we're standing in the middle of the mess. He sees the bigger picture.

We are blessed to live in a country in which we can take part in electing our government representatives. Whether or not the people we are rooting for are the ones who garner the most votes, we got to have a say. There are many places throughout the world where people don't have that privilege.

This election really could have gone one of two ways, and neither one would have been a smashing success. We all know this political season was especially volatile, and we would have chosen an imperfect, fallible human to guide us forward regardless of which box we checked on the ballot.

Our hope for the future shouldn't hang on who wins or loses, because our hope shouldn't rest on the shoulders of people at all. Neither administration would have solved all of our current problems or avoided causing any future ones; believing they have that kind of power immobilizes us as citizens and strips us of our motivation to utilize our own strength to stand up.

We have a responsibility to one another, despite the divide that politics has caused in this country. We have to fight for the truth and stand up for causes that are nearest and dearest to us. We have to stand together.

The newly-elected officials have limited reach and a finite term in office. While not everything hinges on who we elect, we get the opportunity to do so again in the future. Whether you're content or concerned about how things played out, this is not the end.

There is a myriad of emotions surfacing in the wake of this, but I hope we choose compassion and hope over fear and hate.

We have so much to be thankful for. If nothing else, the ads are over and we have four more years until we have to go through this again!

Further reading/viewing:

Ellen DeGeneres's Post-Election Message

Kid President on Disagreeing Respectfully

James Corden's Post-Election Monologue

How the Church Can Move Forward Past Election Day by Janice Wood, Relevant Magazine

How to Be Worry-Free in Times Like These by Jennifer Dukes Lee, (in)courage

5 reasons why America will be OK, even if your candidate didn’t win by Josh Hafner, USA Today

Donald Trump Is the President-Elect. What Now? by Aaron Cline Hanbury, Relevant Magazine