How Can Christians Promote Unity After the Election?

Published: November 13, 2024

How Can Christians Promote Unity After the Election?

By Movieguide® Contributor

Pastor Darren Whitehead provided Christians with tips on how to promote unity and find peace in a country divided after this election season.

Though Whitehead has lived in America for 27 years, he is originally from Australia which has given him enough of an outsider’s perspective to see trends around the election cycle that many in the country are blind to. Primarily, after an election, half of the country celebrates while the other half mourns, and these intensely opposite feelings only lead to more divisiveness.

Whitehead, however, believes Christians are called to a higher standard, and if they fully lived out the teachings of the Bible, they would really help heal the divide in our country.

“We’re called in scripture to pray for our leaders. 1 Timothy 2 says that we ought to pray for all of those who are in authority,” Whitehead told Fox News host Shannon Bream. “And, you know, when you do that, when you pray for your leaders, you are reminded that this is not on you. This is not yours to carry. There is something about prayer that, just as a spiritual practice, it reminds us that we do not have agency to control the world, and God actually does.”

“The second thing I would encourage people to do is prioritize unity in Christ,” Whitehead continued. “Ephesians 4 says, ‘Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.’ Now, we can do that in small ways, we can do that in large ways, but I think of one way of doing that. Proverbs 24:17 says, ‘Do not gloat when your enemy falls, when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice.’ So, it’s tempting for those who get the preferred outcome this election to gloat a little bit. It’s okay to celebrate, but if you’re trying to prioritize unity with those who are disappointed, then it might make sense to curtail that.”

“The third thing I would say is to practice active listening,” Whitehead added. “James 1 says, ‘Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.’ I would encourage people when they’re having conversations with people who think different politically in this moment, to sincerely try to understand one another.”

While these three suggestions are ways that Christians can pursue unity and seek healing within our divided nation, Whitehead also had suggestions on how Christians can find peace during this time of chaos.

“Pursue a non-anxious presence,” he said. “Colossians 3 says, ‘Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts.’ So, apparently, God offers peace and what we need to do is let that peace rule in our hearts… it’s just this idea of giving Christ dominion to soothe the anxiety of your heart.”

“The fifth thing I would say is to place your hope in God not government,” Whitehead added. “Psalm 146 says, ‘Do not put your trust in princes or in human beings who cannot save. Blessed are those whose hope is in the Lord.’ Jeremiah 17 says, ‘But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.’”

In a country that is so divided, Christians can truly make a difference in our communities and be a light in this world if we follow these teachings.