river, kings, God in controlAfter November 8, most of the nation will breathe a collective sigh of relief that this crazy election is over. And people will either be happy their candidate won, disappointed their candidate lost, or just generally depressed.

But I’m not going to fret (too much), no matter what the outcome. That’s because I’m not putting my faith in the political system. I don’t rely on elected officials for my security.

“We have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe” (I Timothy 4:10, ESV).

There’s no doubt that our country has been blessed for the past two hundred-plus years. And I pray that hearts across our nation will turn back to God. But when I compare our circumstances to those of Christians in many other countries, I remember that we are not promised prosperity or comfort when we follow Jesus.

But we are told that God is in control, even when it comes to the selection of our leadership: “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God”  (Romans 13:1, ESV). While we may or may not be happy with the outcome of this election, we still should honor the one who is elected. And pray, because it appears that roughly half of the country will be upset with the result.

Another promise gives us reason for optimism and for prayer. “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1, ESV). Even at the top layers of government, God can change hearts and determine the decisions that are made. Those decisions, however, don’t always make sense to us because we can’t see the bigger picture. But ultimately, God’s glory will be displayed.

The bottom line is that I’m glad I have a Savior…and my hope is not in either political party. How about yours?