My Dilemma as a Christian
I'm what they call a "Conservative Christian." I'm not sure what these words mean to others when they think of people who are Conservative Christians, but I know what I think. Some people consider Conservative Christians as "Christian Nationals." That term was brought on by the left to box us in with "White Nationals" and cause many to think that if Christians voice their concerns about their government, they are racists. The left is using word games to deceive people and get angry at Christians who defend their faith and cherish their nation.
Being a Conservative Christian means that my faith in God and my choice to believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God causes me to vote according to my faith and beliefs. That's pretty much it in a nutshell for me. I also believe that Christians have greatly impacted our nation's history and even the world, but that's just facts, not any weird belief.
As a Conservative Christian, I keep myself well informed. I read and listen to conservative podcasts, follow conservative people on Twitter and FB, and stay updated on the issues in my state and nation. The problem for me at times is my thought life and my emotions. The Bible is clear about what I should be thinking about. Philippians 4:6-8 reads,
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things."
Christians are not to be anxious for anything but take it to prayer (which I do). My thought life is to be pure and lovely. That is very hard to do when I'm scrolling down Twitter. Twitter is not pure and lovely. It contains truth and informs me, but it angers, frustrates, and saddens me. While I was on Twitter one day, I decided to count every tweet as a positive or negative. It was more negative than I thought, like ten to fifteen negative to one positive. Almost every post was jab and counter-jab, news about the horrible things happening in our society and the sickening corruption in our government. The things that are happening rip into me. It's awful.
How do I obey the Word of God by not being anxious but still informed as a citizen? Here are a few things I do:
1. I limit my reading of distressing news. I find that 80 percent of the time I can just read the headline and get the jest of what is being reported.
2. I don't dwell on evil; I pray. One of the lines in the Lord's Prayer is, "Deliver us from evil."
3. I meditate on scriptures that describe God's justice and mighty power, knowing that God will deliver us and bring his justice.
4. I pray constantly for my family, city, state, nation, and the world.
5. I refuse to follow people who are filled with bitterness and hatred on both sides of the issue. You can tell who these people are because they repeatedly yell and scream the same sentences. They scream and rant for attention. These people have no substance and are out for their own promotion.
6. In some ways, social media can be like junk food. Junk food is fun to eat but not the best diet for us. Digesting social media all day and night is not a healthy mental diet. I admit I'm on it more than I should. I'm working on limiting my time simply by realizing I have already scrolled the new news in twenty minutes or so.
7. I read books. Books help me understand the facts and substance of the subject I'm studying or reading. I also enjoy fiction books, but there is nothing like the scriptures to calm my soul.
8. I listen to podcasts; bible, educational, and governmental podcasts keep me balanced in my perspective of the world.
9. I trust God for my future.
Guard your mind and soul. It's essential that your thoughts are not frazzled because of all the chaos in the world. Jesus said, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
The world will one day bow to God's authority, power, and justice. I dwell on that truth often, and it gives me peace.