The presidential election of 2016 has many of us feeling anxious and fearful about the outcome and our nation. Questions like, "What will happen next?" "Will our country be ok?" "How will things change?" are at the forefront of our minds. Recently, the Lord directed me to Psalm 37. I prayed through this Psalm and let God's ancient words through David minister to me. As you read it, just let the words and thoughts roll over you.
Psalm 37:1-7
Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.
Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Many people fear a candidate will be elected who is wicked. But wickedness is not new. It has been around since the Garden of Eden. Wickedness is beyond sins of omission (a sin that occurs when we knew we should have done something good, but refused (James 4:17), and it is beyond one-time sins of commission (a sin we take action to commit, whether in thought, deed, or word, intentionally or unintentionally). Instead, wickedness is consistently harming others to gain in some way (financially, sexually, power, authority, spiritually, personally). Many are acting like God's people have never dealt with a person in power who was wicked before. But in the early years of the church, the Roman Empire appointed a 17-year-old to be the Emperor. He was thought to be a good person initially but he proved to be exceedingly wicked once he had the power of the Empire. His name was Nero. Despite all he did to stamp out Christianity, the early church loved God and their fellow man so well during Nero's ruinous reign that Christianity spread like wild fire. God's people often shine the brightest in the darkest periods of wickedness.
If you are tempted to despair because of who wins the election, remember that God still wants to show Himself strong through those whose hearts are completely His (2 Chronicles 16:9). Yes, we may see in the future politicians acting in wicked ways (shocking thought isn't it)! But I encourage you to let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).
Take a minute to read over Psalm 37 in it's entirety. There is so much that God says through King David in this Psalm. Just take the time to pour over God's words again and let Him speak to you about your situation, your decisions, your actions, and our nation.
Yes, there have been and will always be wicked people until Jesus returns, and they will cause damage. But their wicked schemes will be exposed and fade. It may even be some of your responsibility to expose what is going on!
When we all wake up on Wednesday, we still need to do as much good as we can to as many people as we can to spread the good news of God's forgiveness. God will still be giving you opportunities to love others, to do righteous deeds, and to be joyful regardless of your circumstances. In fact, He may even give you more opportunities than ever before. So be ready!
Thanks for reading Life Is Relationships today. I look forward to interacting with you during your spiritual journey. Please e-mail me at info@ptlb.com to let me know how God is working in your life.
In His service, Gil Stieglitz
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