TLDR: engage in the Psalms to help you get through election season
How are you handling this election season?
I've noticed a lot of anxiety and anger and other-ing online about the upcoming election. It has broken my heart and saddened me when I read de-humanizing things and see people re-posting things to “other” people who are made in God’s image and deeply loved by Him. I have been contemplating how I should approach this election with both a deep trust in God's goodness and a desire to love others well.
Recently I was listening to The Practice Church podcast and this month they are doing an experiment in politics. Through the sermon we were encouraged to examine our own political activity, explore our political triggers, imagine the life that is possible with a kingdom-centered vision, design our experiment (decide what to refrain from doing and what to make time to do), and commit to the experiment and make a plan to track it.
After talking to God about it I decided that, to help me keep a kingdom perspective, I want to modify my normal practice. In the past to prepare my heart for upcoming changes that I know the date for (our wedding, moves, the start or end date of various seasons) I have often done a Psalm countdown, reading backwards through my favorite songbook. It is a great centering practice to help me acknowledge my emotions and keep my focus on Truth. I’ve been “soaking in the Psalms” for 4.5 years since I started my initial Psalm countdown to leaving West Africa back in February of 2020. That countdown, of course, was adjusted and prolonged a couple of times with closed airports and canceled flights. When I got to the States I didn’t know what to do after being in the Psalms for ten months so I started a Psalm countup and I’m on my tenth pass through the Psalms since returning to the US. I love the Psalms because they are so real. The laments. The words of hope in the darkness. The challenges not to fear. The reassurance that God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. God’s heart for the needy and oppressed. I have needed those words when I had no words in the many dark days we’ve had over the last 1400+ days. The Psalms have been my home, my solace in the darkness and unknown. I decided to start a Psalm countdown to the election to add to my countup and I loved reading Psalm 56 that morning. “When I am afraid I will put my trust in You… What can mere man do to me?... You have taken account of my wandering; Put my tears in Your bottle…This I know, that God is for me...” Oh, so good. I love it. What. Great way to start! Today my countdown took me to Psalm 46 again and I read it to H with joy, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though [all kinds of bad things happen]… Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.” What a great perspective amidst unsettling world events.
I recently read Psalm 37 and noted that in previous passes I had written “election 2020/return to the US” and “election 2024.” It’s a great reminder not to fear, that the wicked will not always win and an encouragement of how to live well in troubled times in this world that is not our ultimate home - delighting in Him, resting in Him, being patient and humble, gracious and generous, doing good and being a person of peace because we take refuge in Him, knowing His timeline is not mine. This Psalm keeps coming up in my heart and so I’ve also decided to try to memorize it before the election. It’s 40 verses though so we’ll see. As I was working on verse 3: “Trust in the Lord and do good, dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.” It reminded me of Jeremiah 29 where the people in exile in Babylon are encouraged to build houses, plant gardens, get married and have kids, and seek the welfare of the city where God had sent them. I often feel like I am in exile here, not where I thought I would be at this stage, feeling like a foreigner in this confusing place we’ve returned to, and God has used both of these passages to challenge me to be fully present and invest in the people and place where I live for however long He has me here.
I have also decided to avoid politics as much as I am able on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday and to severely limit the amount of time I spend reading or listening to political things on MWF. I want to choose news sources that encourage me to trust God and to love God and others (my neighbor and my enemy) well. I also want to put off anger and fear and to approach everything with hope, curiosity and a willingness to be a learner and to change.
It’s been over a week and I am so thankful for the work that God has done in my heart and the hope He has given me through these practices of addition of time in the Psalms and subtraction of time wasted online.
So, what are you doing to order your heart this election season? Is there anything you’d like to add or stop during these next few weeks? I encourage you to take some time and think about it. If you'd like to try the experiment there are some really great questions to help you at this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hL8kqRYgYvDPSWPrqW-ME2ddWllheXrR/view?usp=drivesdk
The rest of the Practice resources are available here: https://thepracticechurch.com/2024/09/the-liturgy-of-politics-2/
