Daniel Seabaugh

Election season is in full swing. Tensions are high, and opinions are on display through yard signs, social media rants, and unsolicited text messages and phone calls. Every campaign is running advertisements that pit the candidates against each other. Once again, politics is causing great angst in the lives of the people who call the United States home.

How should Christians navigate this divisive political terrain? Is there a way to stay sane and model the love of Christ without compromising biblical convictions?

During this election season, the most important thing Christians can do is get close to Jesus, stay close to Jesus, and never take their eyes off Jesus. Some people might say, “How can such a basic claim be made in the midst of a historic election? We need to get involved in the process; we need to let our voices be heard; we need to unite as a party; we cannot afford to just sit with Jesus. We must act!”

The truth is that we can’t afford not to sit with Jesus. Without him, our work will amount to nothing, regardless of who gets elected. The post-election landscape will look all too familiar: there will be division; there will be wars and rumors of wars; there will be economic downturns; there will be an attack on the institution of marriage and family; biblical values will be taunted as oppressive and archaic. Without Jesus, nothing will change except the intensity of our contempt for the other party.

Jesus offers something far better than the status quo—something no election or political party could ever produce. Jesus offers peace. He tells us to not let our hearts be troubled or afraid (John 14:27). He leads us beside quiet waters and restores our souls (Psalm 23:2-3).

Jesus is ruling and reigning now and forever. His rule has no term limits. We can rejoice because there will never be a day when he is not on the throne. I’m not suggesting that Christians stay out of the political arena, though I respect one’s right to do so and have heard good reasons why one might. My great aim is to remind us that our political candidates aren’t Jesus and can’t deliver us the way Jesus can.

In the midst of another tumultuous political season, we must find time to sit in God’s presence, stay there, and never leave. If we’re to keep our sanity this election cycle, we must prioritize time with the lover of our souls. There are numerous ways to do this, but let me suggest two:

Community & Worship

First, we must spend time with our brothers and sisters in Christ, particularly those who disagree with us on political issues. When we’re around believers who think differently on issues like how to jumpstart the economy or how aggressively the borders should be patrolled, we learn that what unites us, namely, Jesus, far outweighs what divides us. It’s not even close.

Even though it’s the ultimate Sunday school answer, it’s still true: Jesus is the only one who can fix the brokenness of our world. He’s the only one who can produce unity in the hearts of people with differing political opinions.

Biblically speaking, community is not about simply hanging out with people, as fun as that may be. Community is about being challenged by others we trust, by those walking with Jesus. Biblical community assists in the process of our lives being transformed into the image of Christ. Our words and actions should begin looking more like Jesus, not our favorite political pundit. If our community isn’t cultivating the fruit of the Spirit in us, it’s likely time we find other people to commune with.

Lastly, we must worship regularly and not miss a Sunday gathering. Perhaps it’s easy for a pastor to say this, but as James K. A. Smith said, we become what we worship. Worship is formative in nature. And we all worship something.

When we gather for worship, our hearts and minds become oriented around the person and mission of Christ. Surely our anxiety levels about the state of the world will decrease as we worship the one who created the world and rules over it. Worship helps us remember who he is and what he’s done, doing, and will continue to do.

This election season doesn’t have to cause us unrest. We serve a good, good Father. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Good things are ahead for those who trust Jesus. He is the way to sanity this election season.