It's been a heavy day.
- Truthfully, it's been a heavy season for me personally as of late - for so many other reasons - but today feels extra heavy.
I didn't vote for either candidate. I chose to vote independent this time around.
I woke up + checked the election results this morning and just felt kind of indifferent about all of it.
But then I got on Facebook...
People I know + love have been outright ugly + blatantly disrespectful - from both sides.
I've seen many of my Christian friends + church family be so blatantly "IN YOUR FACE" about Trump's re-election.
All of it just makes me so sad.
So as a Christian, I felt led to acknowledge + apologize for my fellow Christians who have been so obnoxious + insensitive about Trump's victory today.
I personally don't feel acting this way does anything to spread the message + love of Jesus.
- Nor do I feel it does anything positive to win anyone who was already on the fence about Christians + Christianity over to Jesus - in fact, I think all it does is further fuel the negative connotation that has been attached to Christians.
I am a Christ Follower.
I try really hard to always lead with love + to extend grace to everyone I interact with.
That being said, despite claiming to be a Christian most of my life, I spent years of my adult life running from God.
There were years of my life where I questioned if there even was a God.
There were years of my life where I claimed to be Christian but just more "spiritual than religious".
There were years of my life where I was a broken, all-out selfish, terrible person.
I'm a Christian.
Do I believe Trump is appointed by God to be the answer to our prayers over our broken country?
- Personally, I do not.
What I do believe is that God is capable of using broken, terrible people for good things.
- I believe - and KNOW this to be true - because I used to be one of those broken, terrible people.
We all are human.
We all are flawed.
We all fall short.
- Therefore shouldn't we all be afforded grace, forgiveness, and a chance to do things differently?
... Am I worried?
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't.
But I'm choosing to remain hopeful... and, more importantly, prayerful.
- Be gentle + kind to each other, and love one another, Friends. <3
