Democrats against Republicans. Brother against brother. Neighbor against neighbor. Christian against Christian. If you’re following this election, you’ve discovered that there’s a lot of opposition. People disagree with how the government should be handled and which laws should be passed. If you’re not cautious, anger will begin to take hold and as anger takes hold, strife develops—and eventually, bitterness.
That’s a dangerous place to be. Psalm 37:8 warns us to “stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm” (New Living Translation). And James 1:20 says, “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.”
Instead of letting anger, strife and bitterness take hold, turn to God’s Word. Here are five ways you can find peace in the midst of this election process:
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Pray
“Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.” –Jeremiah 33:3, NLT
There’s no better way to get God’s perspective than through prayer. Commit to spend time in prayer for the right candidate to be elected. Ask the Lord to give you His perspective on our country, our officials and the candidates.
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Worship
“Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.” –Hebrews 13:15, NLT
When you feel your temperature begin to rise, worship the Lord. It will help you refocus on the One who is truly in charge.
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Watch Your Words
“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” –Ephesians 4:29, NLT
Proclaim words of peace and love. Speak blessings over the candidates—even the ones who really make your blood boil! Pray for their salvation and that they will develop a deeper relationship with God and a better understanding of His ways.
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Meditate on Good Things
“Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” –Philippians 4:8, NLT
The Word is clear that you should focus on good, peaceful things. Make sure the issues you think about honor God.
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Avoid Stressful Situations
“I [Jesus] am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” –John 14:27, NLT
If listening to the radio or watching TV or discussing politics with your friends and family raises your blood pressure, then don’t do it. You probably already know the candidate you want to win, so instead of listening to the news, spend your time in prayer.
When you are tempted to get angry about this election, put these things into practice. Refuse to let yourself get worked up because of dire predictions, contentious debates or frustrating media reports. Instead, recognize that God is in control of this country and His people this election season.