Given my knowledge of the Louisville Metro area and the demographic that traditionally frequents Cracker Barrel, I know I’m in the presence of people who voted for Trump.
I’ve seen various social media posts by well-meaning Christians saying things like, “My hope is in the Lamb” and “God is still on his throne.”
Joel Bowman
I find myself at a place emotionally and spiritually where such sayings seem trite and bring no comfort to my soul. To be sure, they add insult to injury.
Don’t get me wrong. As a Christian, I believe my hope is ultimately in Jesus. I also believe in the sovereignty of God. However, like King David and the other Old Testament writers, I must write as I process my grief.
The Bible teaches us that lamenting is an essential part of worship. In fact, the prophet Jeremiah is credited with writing the book of Lamentations.
Just like various biblical figures lamented over evildoers and their injustice, I am lamenting over the election of one who has run the most vile, bigoted and misogynistic presidential campaign in modern history.
It’s nonsense to me how so many of my fellow American Christians could gleefully support a man who doesn’t care about anyone but himself.
It’s nonsense to me how these same Christians could support a pathological liar whose entire political career has been built on lies.
“I am lamenting over the election of one who has run the most vile, bigoted and misogynistic presidential campaign in modern history.”
It’s utter nonsense to me how they could so easily support an insurrectionist and convicted felon who was found liable for raping a woman.
I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s no way to make sense of nonsense. But, for those of us who consider justice to be a core value, there is a sensible way forward.
First, we must take time to grieve.
Mental health clinicians such as Elizabeth Kübler-Ross have indicated grief is a normal part of life that can be divided into stages.
If you’re like me, you’ve felt shock and anger as a result of Trump’s electoral victory. Your feelings are yours and they are normal. Don’t let anyone shame you by saying, “Oh, just get over it.” Or “Where’s your faith?”
Many godly people throughout history have had to navigate these emotions.
Second, we must take care of ourselves.
Self-care is simply taking care of yourself, that is your whole person — body, soul, and spirit.
Self-care is sorely needed in times of national tumult and division. Many American families have been adversely affected by our current political climate.
“Self-care is not the same as selfishness.”
Self-care is not the same as selfishness. In fact, people in the Bible engaged in various aspects of self-care. This even includes Jesus, who rested and prayed in solitude.
Those of us involved in justice work must pause now and take care of ourselves.
Finally, we must take stock of our people.
It is quite common in our country for people to draw lines to exclude others, rather than drawing circles of inclusion. By doing this we miss out on learning from others who are different from us.
That said, many of us do engage on some level with toxic people. These are people who do not have the capacity to provide us with life-giving connections.
We must know how to deal with toxic people, setting boundaries as needed.
If you are lamenting the results of this election cycle, you need to be connected to people who have emotional intelligence. These are not necessarily people who see eye-to-eye with you on every political issue. But these are those who can empathize with you and build you up during your bleakest moments.
Some things in life just don’t make sense. For many of us, this election cycle is one thing that fits that description. Consequently, you may feel as if you’re drowning in a sea of perplexity.
Just remember, you are not alone. Many others are traversing a similar path. Further, rest in the fact that Jesus weeps with us.
May you find peace as you take time to grieve, take care of yourself and take stock of your people.
Joel A. Bowman Sr. is a native of Detroit who has served as a pastor in Louisville, Ky., for 25 years. He also is a licensed clinical social worker with 30 years of experience as a mental health clinician. Follow him @JoelABowmanSr and atacompellingvoice.com.
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