I am suffering from something serious. It is called Election Season Induced Anxiety Disorder. Or ESIAD for short. (Yes, I made that up.)

Have you heard of it? Perhaps you may be afflicted by it as well.

Symptoms may include:

• spending entirely too much time reading headlines and (likely very biased) articles
• believing ALL THE THINGS
• believing NONE of the things
• forgetting how to distinguish between truth, lies, and extreme hyperbole
• being unable to ignore agitating comments on social media
• taking 30 seconds to fact check an article that a friend posted to make sure it is still that easy to confirm the
• validity of something before posting (It is.)
• fearing not watching the presidential debates
• fearing watching the presidential debates
• screaming “JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION!” repeatedly at your television screen (They can’t hear you.)
• venting to your significant other or best friend about all the headlines, comments, and Twitter posts you read today regarding the election
• feeling constantly agitated because of all the noise in your head
• having the urge to cry when yet another attack ad comes on
• becoming a Negative Nancy, a Debbie Downer, or other variety of pessimistic alliterative name
• wanting to throw your computer and/or television out window
• downloading a filter for your Facebook feed so you can hide all political posts (Yes, that’s a real thing. Yes, I really did it.)
• deciding you will vote for this person, then that person, then that you won’t vote all, then back to your original vote
• hearing you should vote for one of the major party candidates
• hearing you should vote for a third party candidate
• hearing that voting third party is a “wasted” vote
• hearing you shouldn’t vote at all
• hearing that you are a bad American if you don’t vote
• hearing that you are not a real Christian if you vote for X candidate
• hearing that you are not a real Christian if you vote for Y candidate
• wondering how your salvation became dependent on the 2016 American Election
• reading John 10:28-30 again just to be sure (You can be.)
• counting down the days until November 8th when maybe some of this crazy will start to die down and your friends will go back to being people you actually enjoy
• agonizing over the future of our country
• hearing that “the world as we know it” is about to “change forever”
• hearing that these are most definitely the “end times” we’re living in
• wondering where God is in all this and why people are acting like He no longer exists

Are you there yet, Friends? Do you feel like you just can’t take it anymore?

Are you up for a little hope? Here it is. GOD is still sovereign (1 Chronicles 29:11-12). God can use all things, any situation for His glory and purpose (Philippians 2:13, Proverbs 16:4). The world is not going to end until He says it’s time (Matthew 24:36, 42). The only kingdom we need to worry about this much is His (Matthew 6:33). Nothing can be done that will thwart His plan (Isaiah 14:27, Job 42:2). Nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). God is our true source of hope and peace (Romans 15:13). We can find rest in Him (Psalm 4:8, Matthew 11:28-30).

So if you too are suffering from ESIAD, go find some rest. Block some posts, take a Facebook hiatus, turn off the TV, educate yourself using objective sources, pray for wisdom and discernment, and realize that there is nothing that will happen that God has not foreseen. He has gone before us and will hem us in on all sides (Deuteronomy 31:8, Isaiah 52:12, Psalm 139:5). Take a rest, have a nap, sleep peacefully. Pursue His Word, His peace, His Kingdom. If we are doing this, we are going to be okay. He will never leave us. He’s not going anywhere. When you are tempted to look to other sources as our salvation, hope, and future, remember to step back. This election is not the boss of you. Flee from the idols. Don’t voluntarily return to your captivity. We have been set free.

And remember that whoever wins this election is not as important as the One who has won it all already. The One who gave it all to win you.

This may just be the best thing on the Internet right now. (Source)

Don’t grow weary and lose heart, Friends. Try Faith instead. Believe Him. Trust Him. And then live accordingly.