---

Every political season comes with waves of emotion, and unfortunately, in the most recent political seasons, they’ve come with negative emotions: anxiety, fear, irritation, or even apathy. 

Rooms either become hushed with awkward and avoidant silence or overwhelmed with defensive tense chatter when the topic of voting arises. Division seems to only seep deeper into the grounds of our American society. 

But as Christ followers, our position in navigating the political season is beyond a ballot—it’s also about how we remain anchored in Jesus in the midst of politics. How can we protect our peace as we navigate this political season? Here are three ways that keep me grounded: 

Anchor in the Word of God.

Admittedly, I feel overwhelmed with all the opinions being thrown around regarding different controversial political topics. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Who’s made the best argument? But I’ve trained my mind to look to the Word of God for wisdom, discernment, and peace in all things. In a constantly changing world, I know that I can always trust God’s Word to be absolutely true and remain the same.

The Bible, the very Word of God, is sacred. It has survived over thousands of years and contains the marvelous, inerrant truth of the Gospel message, which has the power to bring forth lasting healing and hope in any circumstance. When I’m unsure how to approach life, I focus on God’s Word.

It takes practice, but you can learn to meditate on God’s Word more than your own thoughts. The Bible is full of verses and stories reminding us to not be afraid or anxious. There is great encouragement to endure challenging seasons as well as incredible healing comfort in grief.

Here are some verses you can reflect on:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:6-7 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” —John 16: 33

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” —Isaiah 26:3

Share your worries with God. 

Prayer is powerful. I’m constantly praying throughout my day-to-day life. Whether it’s a quick prayer for my work day or a deeper prayer about the real fears I may have about the future, I talk to Jesus about it. 

We all know what it’s like to share honestly with a loved one, get something off your chest, process life, or just catch up. The beautiful thing about Jesus is that He has given us access to communicate with Him about anything, anytime, and anywhere. The best part? He invites us and wants us to talk with Him. 

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He wants to hear from us—He wants to hear about it all. And we can freely pray to and talk to God just like we’re having a conversation—no fancy or deeply theological words. Just you and Jesus. He is the safest place we can ever turn to with our joy, our fear, our weakness, our grief—whatever is on our hearts.

We can take all of the feelings, thoughts, and concerns that we may feel about this political season to Jesus, and He listens. He already knows exactly how we’re feeling, what we fear, and what we hope for. Jesus knows it all, so why not tell Him? In my experience, He’s only welcomed me with open arms and comfort.

Love your neighbor anyway.

The atmosphere of the political season—or any season, really—shouldn’t stop us from loving our neighbors. The Bible reminds us there is a greater battle happening around us.

Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

I’ve learned the power of grounding myself in what God says about conflict. As Christ followers, we have a real enemy, and it’s not the person who disagrees with us politically or who may have hurt us with their actions or words. Our enemy is spiritual, and the more I observe the world around me, the more clearly I see the enemy’s harmful hand causing the chaos and disruption in the relationships God intended to be loving and peaceful. So, I’m choosing to love my neighbors anyway. All of them—anyway. This not only defeats the schemes of the devil to divide and destroy, but it also creates space for Jesus to move powerfully in healing relationships and broken systems.

Choosing to love people anyway has brought me peace beyond winning any debate or any kind of self-care method. When I look at people the way Jesus sees them—with His unending compassion and relentless mercy—it changes how I understand people. When I lean in, get curious, and ask questions instead of judging, I grow in empathy, seeing a perspective different from my own. My heart becomes tender despite harsh words or actions. I begin to see broken people in need of a savior, just like me. So, I choose to love them anyway. 

As we’re in the height of voting season, I reflect on how Jesus never intended for us to worship anything or anyone but Himself. Our votes matter, and it’s about so much more than a political party or candidate. Consider us as a people together—humankind, each one created in the image of God. My hope in loving my neighbors well this political season is to see all of my neighbors loved, heard, respected, provided for, at peace, and living together in the way God intended. However the ballots turn out, we can still choose to love our neighbors anyway, just as Jesus does. So as we navigate the contentious season ahead—with real votes that impact real people—what would it look like to protect your peace, pursue unity, and choose to lean into our collective flourishing and healing?

If you find yourself struggling or having a difficult time protecting your peace this political season, lean into mental health resources available here.

Written by Justine Fernandez, Communications Manager