Did we get our ass kicked last night? Yes, we did. Did I feel it? Of course I did. But with that being said, there's something far more important I want to share with all of you this morning.
Aside from my daily devotional, which is scheduled the night before, my first actual post this morning was simply, "Good morning." Nothing more. The response was overwhelming, far more than my usual morning greetings. And there was a reason I chose to do that. I wanted to get a sense of how everyone was feeling. Some questioned whether it was really a good morning, while others expressed their anger, disappointment, and frustration over last night's election results. I understand those feelings, but I want to offer you another perspective.
For those of you who are new here, allow me to share something personal. And for those who already know my story, bear with me for a moment. I've been through some of the deepest, darkest pits of hell imaginable. For years, I battled addiction to drugs and alcohol, eventually losing nearly everything, including my family, my friends, and any sense of hope for the future. I remember kneeling on the cold concrete floor of a prison cell, crying out to God because I couldn't see a way out. I couldn't imagine living without drugs or alcohol. They had become such a part of my life that giving them up felt like losing my closest companion.
But something changed when I finally became willing to do something I'd never truly done before. I surrendered. I stopped praying simply to get myself out of trouble and started praying because I was willing to trust God, even when I wasn't entirely certain He was there. I didn't know what tomorrow would bring, and I certainly didn't know how my life could ever be restored. But I made the decision to trust Him anyway, and to this day, it remains the greatest decision I've ever made.
And believe me, life didn't suddenly become easy. Even after finding sobriety and rebuilding my life, I experienced tremendous loss, including the love of my life, my wife, nearly five years ago. I wake up every single morning without her beside me. I could take all that pain, feel sorry for myself, and use it as an excuse to pick up a drink or a drug again. But I won't. I know that darkness all too well, and I know exactly where that road leads. Instead, I choose to live with gratitude, faith, and a peace I once thought was impossible.
Everything you see on my Facebook page, setting aside the politics and daily news, comes from my own experiences. Every faith post, every devotional, every lesson I share comes from something I've lived and continue to live. I'll be damned if I'm going to be anything other than real, authentic, and transparent with you. What God has freely given me is a gift I will never take for granted, and it's a gift that is freely available to every one of you.
Now, why am I sharing all of this after the beating we took last night? Because God is still on the throne. He was yesterday, He is today, and He will be tomorrow. No election, political party, or politician can change that. Republican or Democrat, no elected official will ever give you the kind of fulfillment, comfort, and peace that God can. Sure, political decisions can affect our daily lives, but when we allow politics to determine our happiness, we've given something far too much power over us.
I noticed a gentleman this morning expressing that it wasn't a good morning. His profile picture showed him embracing his wife. And I couldn't help but think about what a tremendous blessing that is. Sometimes we become so consumed by what's going wrong that we overlook the incredible blessings sitting right in front of us. Our spouses, our children, our families, and the simple blessing of waking up with breath in our lungs. Even the responsibilities and challenges that come with those relationships are blessings that some of us would give anything to experience again.
I understand disappointment. I understand anger, grief, and feeling completely defeated. But I also understand that getting knocked down doesn't mean we're supposed to stay down. You get back up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward. There are lessons in our struggles, growth in our setbacks, and opportunities that we sometimes cannot recognize until much later. And yes, I believe there is growth and opportunity in what happened last night, too. I genuinely pray that you can see it.
I encourage every one of you to put politics aside for a moment today. Turn off the television, put down the phone, and ask yourself whether you've truly surrendered your life to God or whether you're allowing the circumstances of this world to control your peace and happiness. I know some of you are facing problems that make an election seem insignificant. I've been there. I've loved, I've lost, and I've suffered in ways I wouldn't wish on anyone. But through it all, I've discovered a peace that surpasses all understanding. Not because my life is perfect, but because I've learned who to trust.
To me, a warrior isn't someone who never gets knocked down. It's someone who gets back up with faith, knowing that God hasn't abandoned them. It's someone who refuses to let fear, anger, disappointment, or the circumstances of this world dictate how they live. Don't allow Satan to use your emotions as a snare, because when your emotions begin controlling you, your ability to think clearly suffers. And that's exactly when we become vulnerable to the things that rob us of our peace.
I choose to put Jesus Christ at the forefront of my life in EVERYTHING. Not just when things are going my way, but especially when they're not. And I can tell you from personal experience that trusting Him has given me something this world could never provide. It doesn't mean I don't experience pain or disappointment. It means those things no longer have the final say over how I live my life.
I'll have plenty more to say about last night's election, what's happening politically, and some of my own thoughts and theories about where things go from here. But I genuinely believe this is the most important message I can share with you today. Don't let the world steal your peace. Don't give politicians or political parties authority over your happiness. Remember who is really on the throne, and remember that tomorrow is another opportunity to grow, to learn, and to begin again.
Be still, and know that He is God. And yes, my friends, despite everything that happened last night, I still believe it's a good morning. ๐โค๏ธ