I Prayed have prayed
Lord, guide us with Your Spirit of discernment and truth.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

In the wake of any electoral defeat, it is tempting for those who voted for the loser — or non-winner if you want to be gentle — to spiral a bit into depression and despair. . .

As one who has worked in both winning and losing campaigns, I would note that the simplest and most enduring rule of elections in the United States is that the winners are usually disappointed and the losers are usually pleasantly surprised. The winners — and losers — are always quite certain that the victory will bring significant and enduring changes to the nation.

Over time, the winners realize that the system is specifically designed to prevent significant changes from being made over just one election cycle. They are, consequently, disappointed. The losers also realize this and are pleasantly surprised that the changes they feared might occur are less egregious and enduring than initially anticipated.

John Steinbeck once wrote: “Somewhere in the world there is a defeat for everyone. Some are destroyed by defeat, and some made small and mean by victory. Greatness lives in one who triumphs equally over defeat and victory.” . . .

Politics and elections are simply about how we as a society decide who gets to use the coercive power of the state to encourage some activities and discourage or outlaw other activities. That’s it.

There are or should be many more important things in everyone’s life. Loving your family and neighbors. Doing well in school or on the job. Having (or not having) children. Pets. Choosing where to work and live. Achieving salvation.

All of those things, and more, are much more likely to determine one’s happiness than anything that can happen in politics.

Obviously, there are occasionally legitimate challenges to the foundational features to national government that are too important to allow anyone to alter. In this cycle, the packing of the Supreme Court is one of those, and it has appropriately drawn intense opposition, even within the Democratic Party.

For the most part, however, federal policies change within a fairly narrow range. For example, presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden’s signature policy change appears to center on a tax increase.  . . .

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher captured this iterative nature of politics perfectly when she noted: “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.”

Those who lost on Nov. 3 will have to fight this battle again, as will the winners. That is as it should be. Each election is sold as the “most important election in the history of the republic/our lives/etc.” Obviously, all of them cannot be and almost all are not.

Political defeats are temporary; so are political victories. It is unwise to treat them as anything else.

(Excerpt from The Washington Times. Article by Michael McKenna. Photo Credit: Dreamstime.)

Share your thoughts on this article below!

Comments (2) Print

Comments

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

C J
November 15, 2020

Father,as Your children, we ask for guidance and grace to maneuver this next season.We pray for our families,our neighbors,the Body of Christ,our fellow Americans,our newly elected leaders, and all branches of government. We hold fast to the hope of President Trump and V.President Pence remaining our elected leaders for the next four years. Father, saturate
our minds, spirit, and hearts with Your Holy Spirit. Guide every thought,meditation,and spoken word that proceeds from our mind and lips. Your word says in Proverbs 18:21,that life and death are in the power of the tongue,and those who love it shall eat it’s fruit. Guard our hearts and lips. Cover our mind and spirit with Your helmet of salvation. Let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight,O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. May the entrance of Your words give light and life; giving understanding to the simple. Father,let my lips utter praise,for You teach me Your statues, (Ps.119:105, 130,171).
We know,O Lord,that all things are upheld by Your power and Your word, physically and spiritually. Give us the fortitude to accept Your choice of leadership for this season in our nation. May spiritual discernment,wisdom, insight, hope, and unwavering faith in You guide our steps over the next few weeks and months. Help us,Lord,to process these election
results in a healthy way. Lord, let our words,
thoughts, and deeds be pleasing to You. May we be examples of Your fruit. May we exude love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, good-ness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.Help us to exercise wisdom and prudence in all that we say and do. Help us to edify one other as representatives of You. Lord, let our thoughts,words, and deeds be Your examples. Invade our mind with Your Holy Spirit. May our speech be pleasant, uplifting and healing to all we encounter. Cover our spiritual senses with the Blood of Jesus. Holy Spirit, give us spiritual ears to hear, spiritual eyes to see, and a spiritual heart of discernment. Anoint our lips to speak words that are pleasing to You. Holy Spirit, manifest Your Holy Presence in us. May Your anointing flow through us and touch others along the way. Lord God, help us to be instruments, used by You, providing light and guidance in this uncharted, questionable season. Father God, help us commit wholly to obeying Your direction and Your Word. We acknowledge You as our only source of light to guide us through this next season of life. Help us, Father, to give the enemy no foothold in the midst of many unknown circumstances. As we rely on You and Your Word, help us to resist the fear of man. May we only fear You, Lord. Continue to teach us Your love language of life, faith, health, and healing as we journey forward. Holy Spirit,empower us and endue us with Your manifest Presence. Dear Jesus,we plead the power of Your blood as a covering and Helper. In Your name we pray, Amen.

1
Jeanne
November 15, 2020

This is very true and well said but in my lifetime a change has occurred whereby the consolodation of power is no longer divided by the two party system, rather there is the union of power, Bush, Cheney, neocons, Democrats, Wall Street, Silicon Valley and mainstream media – the establishment party in Washington DC versus conservatives who supported Trump. That power division differs from elections past because the Republicans are mostly sell outs who do not fight for conservative values.

1

Partner with Us

Intercessors for America is the trusted resource for millions of people across the United States committed to praying for our nation. If you have benefited from IFA's resources and community, please consider joining us as a monthly support partner. As a 501(c)3 organization, it's through your support that all this possible.

Dave Kubal
IFA President
Become a Monthly Partner

Share

Click below to share this with others

Log in to Join the Conversation

Log in to your IFA account to start a discussion, comment, pray, and interact with our community.