Why My Focus Is Not on Donald Trump
This article is not intended to influence how you vote, nor is it intended to influence how you view former president Donald Trump. Instead, it is to help you keep a godly, faith-filled, and sane perspective in the months leading up to Election Day, since things could get pretty crazy before then.
During his presidency, Trump was sometimes called the βgreat disrupterβ (or, βdisruptor.β) If things got dull, even for a moment, he was sure to stir them up.
The Great Disruptor
As stated in an October 2018 article on The Hill by Thomas Hicks Jr. and Curtis Ellis, βPresident Trump β the Great Disruptor who is challenging the premises and practices that all the Serious People tell us are immutable β is disrupting business-as-usual in Washington, New York, Geneva, Brussels and Beijing.β
For his supporters, this was great news. For his detractors, it was a disaster.
Either way, the Trump presidency was anything but a time of peace and calm, a maintaining of the status quo.
Thatβs why Trump was also likened to a whirlwind, generating headlines like this one, posted on Yahoo News in May 2017: βTo Evangelicals, Trump is the Whirlwind. And theyβre fine with that.β
Polarizing Opinions on Donald Trump
Opinions about Trump became so polarized that I wrote an article in October 2018 titled, βDonald Trump is Not the Christ and Donald Trump is Not the Antichrist.β
I was reminded of this when a colleague sent me a 2023 YouTube video claiming to present β15 Bible Verses That Identify Donald J. Trump as the Antichrist.β At present, the video has more than 533,000 views.
This stands in stark contrast to the 2022 book President Donald J. Trump, The Son of Man β The Christ.
And those who are undecided, there is also the 2023 book Donald Trump Servant of Jesus Christ or … of satan?: Have we been deceived? Judge for yourself!
Note also that this video and these books were all issued when Trump was not in office. Can you imagine what the coming months will bring? We have barely seen the whirlwind yet.
Things Are Heating Up
In fact, from the recent court rulings against Trump, accompanied by massive fines, to the Supreme Courtβs unanimous ruling that Trump could not be removed from state ballots as an alleged βinsurrectionist,β you could say that things are just beginning to heat up.
Added to this are the threats from some Democratic leaders βthat they might not certify the 2024 presidential election results if former President Donald Trump wins,β and it is easy to see how chaos could erupt at any moment.
This means that the next eight months (and perhaps those immediately following, too) will be marked by election fever on steroids.
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βIf Trump wins the election,β one side warns us sternly, βthere will be a civil war.β
βIf Trump loses the election,β the other side counters forcefully, βthere will be a civil war.β
Either way, according to some, here comes a civil war.
Is Either Candidate Mentally Capable of Being President?
Then there are the concerns about the health and mental acuity of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, along with declared and potential third-party candidates, not to mention other legal battles the two principal candidates may or will face.
The media will have a field day with this, as will social media influencers weighing in with the latest clickbait videos.
Here comes wall-to-wall madness. Here comes turmoil by the hour. Here comes nonstop agitation.
And I have not mentioned the endless polling, often designed to influence as much as inform β if not simply to inflame.
My Primary Focus
Thatβs why neither Donald Trump nor the elections are going to be my primary focus in the months ahead.
Thatβs why, by Godβs grace, Iβm not going to allow anything outside of me to steal my peace or take my eyes off the Lord or get me off my mission.
When it comes time to vote, Iβll do so in an informed, God-fearing way.
But getting agitated and worked up and frustrated wonβt help us personally, nor will it help our candidate of choice get elected. Come Election Day, we get one vote and one vote only.
And unless we are called to political action, to getting out the vote or campaigning or fundraising or educating, we do best to focus our attention on things that build us up spiritually, strengthen us emotionally, and fortify us morally.
We can pray for justice in the courts and a fair and free election. But getting worked up over the daily drama wonβt change the outcomes in the least.
Unite Around Jesus Rather Than Divide Over a Candidate
Thatβs why, as believers, we do best to focus on ways to unite around Jesus rather than divide over a candidate, to give ourselves to things that equip and empower our brothers and sisters rather than tear them down and ridicule them.
Doesnβt this make good sense, both practically and spiritually?
The psalmist said, βI keep my eyes always on the LORDβ (Psalm 16:8).
We do well to follow his lead.
And Paul gave this wise counsel: βDo not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.β
He then added, βFinally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable β if anything is excellent or praiseworthy β think about such thingsβ (Philippians 4:6β8).
Letβs do our best to heed these words in the volatile months ahead. It will do our souls well and, in the end, do our nation well.
Dr. Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. He is the author of more than 40 books, including Can You be Gay and Christian?; Our Hands Are Stained With Blood; and Seize the Moment: How to Fuel the Fires of Revival. You can connect with him on Facebook, X or YouTube.