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Unity Over Division: Trusting God Amid Political Turmoil

Unity Over Division: Trusting God Amid Political Turmoil

Last updated on: October 3, 2024 at 8:19 am by Faith E. Richardson

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Unity Over Division: Trusting God Amid Political Turmoil 2024-10-03T08:19:38-06:00 Faith E. Richardson

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A female dropping her vote in a ballot box with the American Flag as her backdrop.

Are you up for the challenge? Photo by Pixabay.com-Yamu_Jay

I’m troubled and confused as I watch the many rants in and around my community, on social media, and across the nation about the running candidates.

Whether it be at a local event, on Facebook, or on the daily news, disunity is a contagious infection wreaking havoc on America and around the world.

Division, Discord, Desecration, and Doubt high-five one another in a congratulatory celebration admiring their work.

Satan’s best tool is to divide us. So, shouldn’t we pursue unity?

Relationships Destroyed

Beautiful relationships crumble as families, friends, colleagues, and church members reveal opposing views.

Instead of learning from each other, we get offended. We “unfriend” them and allow Anger and Hatred to be our companions.

We stop relating to the people who raised us, avoid eye contact with people we once admired in our communities, stop returning friends’ phone calls, and become hermits. Or worse, we become loudmouths, one-sided fake news spewers, or bullies.

I challenge you to fight for unity.

Trust God

In 2022 I wrote an article, Don’t be so Easily Swayed. I referred to knowing God’s character so well that the enemy cannot sway you to believe his lies.

With AI on the rise, we must rely on God more now than ever. Satan will use this new technology to destroy our nation.

Fake videos will be posted and go viral. People will believe what they “see.” “News” reels will reveal false or incomplete information so flawlessly that we will be duped into believing them as truth. It’s already happening.

This type of deception started in Genesis chapter three with Satan deceiving Eve. He twists God’s words to rattle Eve,

“Really?” he asked. “None of the fruit in the garden? God says you mustn’t eat ANY of it?”

And it worked*, “Of course, we may eat it,” the woman told him. “It’s only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not to eat. God says we mustn’t eat it or even touch it, or we will die.”*

“That’s a lie!” the serpent hissed. “You’ll not die! God knows very well that the instant you eat it you will become like him, for your eyes will be opened—you will be able to distinguish good from evil!”

“The woman was convinced.”

We must know God’s Word, God’s Character, so well that we cannot be swayed by Satan’s lies.

I challenge you to immerse yourself in God’s Word.

God’s Warning

Doesn’t God warn us about false teachers? Mathew 7:15, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 Timothy 6:2-5

If we don’t have our nose in God’s Word daily, praying earnestly, we befriend Worry.

“Worry is a conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change. Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things HE CAN change.” Alyssa Linscheid

When we sit with Worry, we take our eyes off Jesus. Satan does a happy dance.

I challenge you to keep your eyes on Jesus.

God’s Choice

We must remember that God is in control. If we look at history in Scripture, we see that God appointed the kings. Whatever the situation, He appoints the RIGHT PEOPLE to fulfill His Purpose.

Also, we must remember that He uses flawed people. He used a teenage sheepherder to defeat a Babylonian giant, a man with a stutter to speak to Pharaoh to free His people, and a Christian persecutor to spread the Gospel. (Just to name a few.)

God’s choice may not be our choice, but His choice is all that matters.

I challenge you to trust God.

Our Job

Just because God is in control doesn’t mean we as Christians, can sit back and do nothing.

We must:

Combat lies and pursue truth. Philippians 4:8-9, Leviticus 19:11, Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 4:15-16
Stay united as one body.
Look to God for the next steps. 1 Chronicles 16:11, James 4:8
Completely Trust God

I challenge you to not be complacent. (MSG)

Casting Your Vote

When a decision of this importance must be made, these should never be the questions we ask ourselves: “What gender are they? What color is their skin? What political party do they represent?”

Instead, we should ask: “Do they have integrity? Can they lead with integrity? Do they speak the truth? Seek the truth? What experiences do they have that could benefit our nation? In the past, did they make good decisions? Do they take ownership of their actions? Can they be trusted? Do they truly want what is best for America? Do their actions and statements reflect this? Do they have what it takes to get the job done and keep their integrity intact?

“We THE PEOPLE of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America.”

As THE PEOPLE of this great sovereign nation, we must hold accountable our leaders to the highest degree of integrity. We must stay true to the Constitution and fight for justice, domestic tranquility, common defense, general welfare, and freedom.

I challenge you to fast from social media, news, and political campaigns. Take time to sit with God. Seek Him in this important decision, and don’t move until you have His peace.

Tuesday, November 5, 2024: A Candidate is Elected

We walk with our heads held high as we accept the outcome remembering that God is in control and “we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28.

Then we give thanks because God says, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” Jeremiah 29:11.

**All Scripture is from the TLB version unless otherwise stated.**

Evangelical

Women in Religion

About Faith E. Richardson

Faith E. Richardson was born in Traverse City, Michigan. She lived there nine short years before moving with her mom to Fort Worth, Texas where she would remain for another eighteen years. After meeting Trent, the love of her life, they married and moved to Colorado where they raised their two children. Currently retired from decades of human resource work, Faith renewed her passion for writing. Her life experiences and dramatic flair for storytelling draw the reader in with thought-provoking material on the wonder and truth of spiritual encounters. It's her desire to get her readers as excited about the Holy Spirit as she is. You can read more about the author here.

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