Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few months (dare we say years?) it is quite likely that you have been enduring the hurricane that is the current political season. While we have to admit that it is certainly one of the more explosive and, at times, entertaining rides, we also understand that these kinds of election years can be the stuff of nightmares. Friendships and families can be torn apart by vicious debate, and some people become so incensed against the rhetoric of the opposing party that they come to blows. As Christ-followers, this season can be particularly challenging for other reasons. Even students attending online Christian college have a hard time finding refuge from the storm. So how do we endure this present turbulence and arrive safely on the other side?
Most Importantly…
The most important thing to remember during this wild election year is to have faith. All too often, political issues become larger than life things, growing until they are all we can focus on. When our focus is on the deficit, national security, social issues, and all the ways that the other party (or our own party) is failing to address those issues in a way we agree with, they can suddenly become more like doomsday prophecies. A prominent former candidate went so far as to suggest that the election of a certain opposing candidate would cause God to remove his favor from our country. The problem with this type of rhetoric is that it encourages us to think that we know better than God. No matter who happens to be sitting in the White House, do we have so little faith that we can’t believe that God can’t use that person for His will? Or that He has the power to change the hearts and minds of men (or women)?
Remember the Apostle Paul
Something else to keep in mind during this crazy season is that God can bring peace even in the midst of dire circumstances. Recall that the Apostle Paul wrote these words while in prison: “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content…I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4: 11-13 NIV). The lesson here is that no matter what issues or challenges we face personally or as a country, we can find contentment in the knowledge that God truly is in control if only we would surrender our fears to Him.
We know that even as students attending an online Christian college, that you are likely faced with challenges on a daily basis. But rest assured knowing that you aren’t alone and that the Creator of the universe has your back. And as always, your personal advisor is always here and ready to help you in whatever capacity you need. After all, that’s one of the things that makes Colorado Theological Seminary so special.