Staying calm during elections

At one time during an American presidential campaign, I found myself getting tense over what the candidates were saying about the issues and about one another. I was concerned that the candidate I favored would not be elected. My anxiety reached the point where I could hardly eat or sleep.

I discussed my feelings with a friend, who gave me some helpful advice. He explained that tenseness is the result of forgetting that God alone governs all in perfect harmony. As we remember His wise control of His spiritual creation and discern the powerlessness of material conditions to contradict the divine laws of harmony, we can remain calm regardless of circumstances.

I accepted what my friend said, and soon was at peace.

Whenever we are tempted to become tense over a political campaign (or any other situation for that matter) we can regain our poise by discerning that God is Spirit and Mind, and has all power and intelligence. He created man -- the true identity of each one of us -- in His image, and endowed him with strength and wisdom. God does all the directing, all the deciding; therefore, in His spiritual universe there is total harmony.

This divine fact must be understood, and not just wishfully assigned to the world around us. When the facts of God's spiritual creation are comprehended as the onlym facts of being, the human scene shifts to greater harmony. Tension dissolves, and we find we are able to assess a political situation quietly and objectively, trusting divine Mind to tell us what to do about it. The Psalmist counseled, "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." n1

n1 Psalms 37:5.

This does not mean that we should not favor a certain candidate and, if it seems appropriate, work for his election. A democratic form of government requires that this be done. But we can temper our zeal by remembering the all-power of omniscient Mind, and confidently expect that Mind's wisdom will lead us to do what is nearest right at the time. The better job we do in understanding the divine facts of being, the more we will be helping our country to progress in accordance with the concept and rules of honest democracy.

Sometimes in the heat of an election campaign we may find ourselves becoming unreasonably critical of the candidates we oppose. We may go so far as to feel anger and hatred toward them. But this never helps; instead it inhibits the calmness we need in order to act responsibly. It is far better to subjugate such tendencies and to realize that God in fact controls all in harmony -- all that really is. This will help mightily in assuring that the outcome will be in accordance with His will, not ours.

To get above inflexibility and tension is not always easy, but we can do it. Our need is to grow in the conviction of the sovereign authority of divine Mind, which exercises exclusive control over all spiritual action. Knowing Mind's supremacy can help us to see the spuriousness of critical, rigid thoughts and to replace them with reasoned, unprejudiced attitudes. So doing, we find ourselves quiet and receptive of good. As Mary Baker Eddy n2 writes, "The calm and exalted thought or spiritual apprehension is at peace." n3

n2 Mrs. Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.

n3 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,m p. 506.

Christ Jesus, even when he was put on trial by his opponents, who were trying to thwart his purpose and destroy him, "held his peace." n4 He was undoubtedly sure of God's omnipotence, forever present to govern every situation and bring the eventual victory of right over wrong.

n4 Matthew 26:63.

It is incumbent on us all to follow Jesus' example of calm confidence in God. As we do, we'll find ourselves increasingly aware of God's government of man. Such things as extreme tenseness over political elections will become a thing of the past. DAILY BIBLE VERSE The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Ecclesiastes 9:17