I can pray earnestly for my leaders, that they will have God-given wisdom, morals and courage that defy their limitations as flawed human beings.
At the risk of offending countless friends and family, let me just get this out of the way… I didn’t vote for Donald Trump. And no, I didn’t vote for Hillary either. I was one of thousands (maybe millions? I'm not sure) of Americans who did a write in on my ballot.
Call me crazy, call me a defector, call me a coward, call me naïve, but I had my reasons.
But here’s the thing…. none of those reasons matter anymore. They didn’t change the outcome of the election. The people have spoken, and Donald Trump is our president-elect.
And now it’s time to move on.
Growing up, we had an art piece hanging up in our bathroom (where all the best art should go) that contained the first portion of “The Serenity Prayer.” The prayer in its entirety reads:
God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.
Amen.
Interestingly enough, the Prayer of Serenity is most commonly attributed to American Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964. He frequently wrote and spoke on the intersection of faith, politics and public policy.
The World is Changing
There’s been a whole lot of grumbling and griping about the election on social media – and I can’t say I blame anyone for this. I’ve done a whole lot of grumbling and griping myself, except I’ve chosen to do most of it under my breath.
But my friends, it’s well-past time for the end of the world as we know it.
We can no longer dwell in our little corners or hatred, resentment, fear and self-pity. It’s time to move onward and upward into a world of courage, hope, unity and love. It’s time to join and help form a world where we listen, we respect, and we adapt.
Our world is changing, and so must we.
Acceptance is Not Agreement
There are so many things in this world – political and otherwise – that are not the way I’d like them to be. Accepting this is not the same as agreeing or condoning. It’s merely identifying the present reality, so that I can focus on changing the things that are within my control.
I can love my neighbor. I can serve the under-served. I can model integrity to my family and friends. I can work to the best of my ability, using my time, talents and skills all for God’s glory.
And I can pray earnestly for my leaders, that they will have God-given wisdom, morals and courage that defy their limitations as flawed human beings.
Would I have personally chosen Donald Trump as my president? Nope, not a chance.
But now I’m absolutely rooting for his success. I’m praying he will surround himself with godly advisers, and that his heart will be guided by the Holy Spirit. I’m praying he will become the best president America has ever seen, because we could really use a great leader right about now. To borrow a line from Tom Hanks, “I hope the president-elect does such a great job that I vote for his re-election in four years.”
And I can do all this and pray for this knowing that the King of Kings can use all things – messy humans included – for His glory and for the benefit those He loves.
It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.