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My Fearful Americans*

  • October 31, 2024
  • Posted by: Carolyn Mahal
  • Category: Devotions
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Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. – John 14:27

A few days from now, the United States of America will elect a new President to lead our nation. The 2024 election will be the sixtieth time Americans go to the polls to fill the office, but in many ways, this election feels very different than the previous fifty-nine. I could go in many different directions from that starting point. This election has no shortage of personalities, stories, and strong, emotional responses to the key issues, the electoral process, and especially the candidates themselves. I will not delve into these areas. You can find dozens of better (and thousands of worse) sources to provide you with information, analysis, and opinion. However, I would like to share my thoughts on one unique feature of the 2024 election.

Once again, the two major political parties have nominated candidates who are well-known to the American people. Within the various circles of society, they are both loved and loathed. In fact, it is very difficult to find people who do not offer up a strong reaction to the sight of the candidates, the mention of their name, or the sound of their voice. For some the response is one of frustration. Others feel disgust. Still others grow angry as they see and hear the latest from the campaign trail. This is nothing new. Just a part of the political process when you’re running for the highest office in the land. So, what is the big change in all of this?

Fear.

More than any other election I can recall, these campaigns have very little to do with the candidates’ platforms or their plans for how they will govern if elected. Those messages have been replaced with incredible claims about the terrible things that will happen if their opponent is elected. This fearmongering isn’t limited to the presidential race either. It trickles down to congressional, state, and local elections as well. And, because I live in a “swing state,” I get to hear these claims no fewer than a dozen times an hour, every hour, all day long.

As you hear these political claims repeated and intensified over time, you can’t help but begin to feel the weight of what you’re hearing. What if they’re right? What if these claims are true and these leaders are both destined to lead us, our country, and our world into ruins? This powerful imagery is designed to drive us to the polls to do our part to save our country from the perceived evil within, to assuage the fear they’ve built up inside of us. Not the most scrupulous way to win somebody’s vote, but it is effective and unfortunately, both candidates approve this message.

It is a terrible thing to live in fear. Our fears are supposed to be a natural reaction to actions or situations where we are threatened or in danger. Fear is designed to provide a burst of adrenaline that leads us to take quick action until we find safety. But what happens when you can’t escape, and you remain in a state of continual fear? Over time, long-term or constant feelings of fear can begin to take a physical toll. When you feel fear, your body begins a process of preparing you for the fight-or-flight response. Whether you engage in those responses or not, you breathe faster, your blood pressure is elevated, and your heart rate increases. Fear also impairs a person’s cerebral cortex, making it more difficult to think clearly and make good decisions. This is understandable and acceptable in those moments when we are frightened, but to live lives gripped by daily fear is harmful. Furthermore, to live in a state of fear caused by intentional messaging from those who espouse to lead us is nothing short of cruel.

This is not who God created us to be. Paul’s words in 2 Timothy confirm this as he says, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Perhaps this is why we don’t respond well to fear over long periods of time. In Hebrews 13, Paul again reminds us of the promise God made to us. “’I will never leave you nor forsake you;’ So, we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” So, while the sinful world would cripple us with fear, we know that our God has overcome the world and all its tricks, or as Jesus said in John 14,” Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Thanks be to God for saving us from the world and the sin which corrupts it. While we are impacted daily by our own sinfulness, we know that we no longer need to live in fear. Christ took away the sting and stain of our sin. Because we are restored to a right relationship with the Father, we know that His Spirit is with us always, growing our faith and leading us to be the people He truly created us to be. May we continue to fearlessly serve Him. May He also bring peace to our nation on November 5 and beyond.

*Used with permission

 

Devotion by Richard Schumacher

Senior Director of Operations