The election year is a rocky time for everyone. The country always seems to go bottom up, and split straight down the middle.
The state of country in all honesty has prevented me from being motivated. Much like the post-World War II beatniks, what's the point of pursuing a career if the country is going down in flames? On Friday I finally found my motivation and joy coming back, and I'm determined not to lose it again. Here are three Bible verses I've found that really encourage me.
1) Psalm 37: 4-7 (NIV), “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this; He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
In a world where certain lives matter more than others, and patriotism is frowned upon, it’s hard not to fret. This is a biggy for me. When someone turns on the news, just the presence of politics makes my blood pressure spike. I can still be aware of the goings on and patiently be waiting on the Lord’s plan. He’s in control, and no matter how much I stress, my level of control won’t rise.
2) James 1:2-3 (NIV) "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."
This is probably the most prevalent for any Christian college student particularly at a Liberal Arts school. Unfortunately, being a Christian often comes with disrespect from classmates and less respect for your intellect from professors. To consider hard times or any sort of oppression a joy seems ridiculous, but perseverance is a quality that fewer and fewer people are developing.
3) 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV) “May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
The main lesson I derived from this verse was to allow the little blessings throughout each day to keep my joy. I found the best part to be the phrase “eternal encouragement.” God literally never runs out of grace or patience to cheer us on as we strive to live for Him.
There are numerous other verses that encourage pure joy during this tumultuous election year; however, these three really stick out for me. So for everyone who’s been struggling with the turmoil our country is in right now, remember that you can still work towards the future with joy while remaining an informed voter/citizen.
