“Be still, and know that I am God.”

Psalm 46:10 (ESV)

I’ll be honest: I have wrestled deeply with what it means to live as a faithful Christian in this polarized, noisy world. It’s tempting—almost addictive—to get caught up in the headlines, the debates, and the social media arguments. I’ve found myself becoming deeply passionate about certain issues. I would lose sleep over them. I would rehearse rebuttals in my head. My heart would race every time I scrolled through the news.

In those moments, Psalm 46:10 wasn’t exactly at the forefront of my mind.

It’s not a passive invitation to disengage from the world or pretend the problems aren’t real. It’s a loving command to anchor myself first in God’s sovereignty before I speak or act.

God is sovereign

I’ve had to admit something. My tendency to obsess over cultural and political battles often came from a place of fear. I believed that God needed my help fixing the world. I was afraid that if I didn’t fight hard enough, everything would fall apart. But the truth is, God is not anxiously wringing His hands in heaven. He’s seen all this before. Nothing surprises Him. He is in control, even when the world feels like it’s spinning off its axis.

There’s nothing wrong with caring deeply. Caring about justice, morality, and truth is part of our calling. But I realized something important. My political convictions began to overshadow my love for Jesus and people. I was in dangerous territory.

When I began seeing people as opponents to be defeated rather than as souls loved by God, my witness faltered. My identity began to drift from child of God to defender of my side. And that’s not who I want to be.

When we become consumed by arguments and political battles, we often miss our first and highest calling: the Great Commission. Jesus called us to go and make disciples of all nations, to share the good news of His love and salvation (Matthew 28:19–20). When our energy is spent defending our side rather than introducing people to Christ, we trade eternal impact for temporary victories. Some would even say the Great Commission is not just our primary mission but our only mission. Our witness isn’t measured by how many arguments we win, but by how faithfully we point people to Jesus.

And let’s be honest: we are delusional if we think we have more power than God Himself. We act as though the future of the world depends entirely on us — our tweets, our yard signs, our arguments at family dinners. But God does not need our frantic striving to accomplish His purposes. He invites us to join Him, not to replace Him.

In our zeal, what else are we sacrificing on the altar of advocacy? Personal peace? Joy? Family relationships? Lifelong friendships? Our health? Our ability to sleep at night? When we let our mission become about winning rather than witnessing, we risk losing far more than we gain.

He will be exalted

The second half of Psalm 46:10 is often overlooked. However, it carries a promise and a perspective shift we desperately need: “I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”

When I get caught up in striving to make my views known, it’s often driven by a desire to be right. I also want my cause to prevail. But Scripture is clear: it’s not about me being exalted, my arguments being exalted, or even my country being exalted. It’s about God. He alone will be lifted high in the end.

This promise frees us. We are called to be faithful witnesses. However, we don’t carry the weight of making sure God “wins” in the eyes of the world. He has already declared His victory. Our role is to reflect His character. We must point to His goodness. Additionally, we trust that He is working in ways we cannot always see.

Instead of scrambling to make our voices the loudest, we can rest in the confidence that His voice will prevail. Instead of exhausting ourselves trying to hold everything together, we can trust that He is holding all things. He is moving all history toward His ultimate glory.

A Faithful Witness

For me, it’s looked like turning off the news sometimes and opening my Bible instead. It’s meant praying before posting, choosing to listen rather than argue, and remembering that my ultimate allegiance is not to a party or a platform — it’s to Christ.

It means:

• Loving first. Even when it’s hard. Even when I’m convinced I’m right.
• Staying peaceful. Choosing calm over chaos, grace over outrage.
• Speaking truth with gentleness. Not watering down the gospel, but refusing to weaponize it.
• Keeping an eternal perspective. Recognizing that today’s headlines are temporary, but God’s kingdom is eternal.

A continuing Journey

I don’t have this all figured out. I still feel the pull of strong opinions and the urge to jump into every battle. But each day, I try to come back to that still place where I remember that God is God, and I am not.

When I start from stillness, I move ahead from a place of trust rather than panic, love rather than fear.

Imagine the witness we could have in this divided world if we were known not for our shouting matches, but for our unshakable peace and our relentless love.

Today, I invite you—and remind myself—to take a deep breath, to be still, and to know that He is God. And remember: He will be exalted among the nations. He will be exalted in the earth. That’s His promise. That’s our hope.

Grace and peace,

Debra