Attitude in the aftermath

It is official. President Barack Obama has won re-election. With the final votes tallied, it is evident that Obama soundly defeated Gov. Mitt Romney in the electoral vote. The margin of victory for Obama in the popular vote was far smaller, with only a few percentage points splitting the candidates.

This means one thing: a lot of people are unhappy with this outcome, and a lot of the disgruntled are voicing their strong opinions.

At Liberty University, this mindset has been running rampant through the school.

The fact of the matter is that an overwhelming majority of students at Liberty were leaning toward Romney’s campaign, and this group undoubtedly served a pivotal role in Romney’s taking the City of Lynchburg’s vote by nearly 11 percent. A glance at Virginia.gov shows an even more lopsided result at the Vines Center voting center, with Romney receiving 93 percent of the votes cast there.

But who can blame those who hopped on the Romney wagon? The former governor of Massachusetts dedicated numerous trips to the area, he spoke at last year’s commencement, and his running mate, Paul Ryan, even stopped by a few weeks ago.
Now, with Romney’s defeat, many supporters are throwing in the towel on this great country.

My word of advice to you is this: remember who is truly in control.

I am not saying that being disappointed in the outcome of this election — one that this campus was so deeply involved in — is a character flaw. If anything, the intense reaction of the students is a positive sign that they at least care about the election.

But the reality this group of disgruntled voters must realize is that Obama’s victory is all part of a plan.

Crack open Romans 13. The words may be tough for some to digest, but they speak the truth, which is something everyone could stand to hear more of nowadays.

The first verse hits you with a type of straightforwardness that you cannot ignore.
Paul writes that “there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

As sinners, we may not understand all of these plans, but we must try to understand the planner. President Obama is a part of that plan, and as citizens, it is up to us to make the very best out of the situation.

A mindset of defeat or disdain helps no one. Whether you agree with Obama or not, one man simply cannot single handedly restore or destroy our country. This nation will not return to its zenith as a divided one. Now is not the time to argue — now is the time to draw together.

Tim Lee, a retired Marine and double-leg amputee, may have said it best in his sermon during convocation Nov. 7.

“No political party is going to save America, and elections do not save a nation,” he said. “The thing that will save America is if God’s people, you and I, will begin the process of revival.”

No matter how much change a candidate promises, the path to true change — or even better, progress — is firmly founded in Americans uniting with the goal to make each other better. Christians, whether happy with the outcome of this election or not, are called to be the leaders of this movement.

If Christians who are upset with this election looked at it more as a challenge for them to step up to the plate and lead this nation instead of grumbling on the sidelines, we would be in much better shape as a country.

When I woke up on Nov. 6, I knew my God was in control. When I went to sleep that night, I still knew He was. He does not demand a political title, He does not require a vote to gain power, and He does not need a residency at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Let us not forget that.