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Recently, a listener sent me a link to a psychiatrist being interviewed, on a national media outlet, about “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” He reported that 75 percent of his patients report symptoms of worry, anxiety, sleep problems, and inability to enjoy vacations, because of thoughts about Trump or media reports about him that “trigger” their anxieties.
He reflected that back in the 1980s, when Ronald Reagan was shot, the president reportedly said to the doctors in the emergency room, “I hope you are all Republicans,” to which they replied, “Today, Mr. President, we are all Republicans.” The psychiatrist noted that many in our country no longer have this mindset, a common human respect, love, and value for those who hold a different political viewpoint.
The psychiatrist concluded his remarks with a simple encouragement for those struggling with these symptoms to get treatment.
Sadly, the psychiatrist never pointed out that focusing on Trump is a symptom of the problem; it is not their true problem. The preoccupation and distress over Trump are the current manifestation of their rejection of God or evidence that they have not been reborn with a spirit of love and trust in Jesus. Their complaints and subsequent actions are evidence of individuals consumed with the spirit of fear and selfishness, the spirit that we all have inherited from Adam, but which Jesus came to replace by His Spirit. These people, and godless mental health professionals, fail to recognize that for such struggling individuals, Trump represents the power in this world that will undermine their false gods, the things they have attached to that provide them false security, and thus they live in fear, constantly worry, get angry and agitated at anything “Trump” and seek to find peace by cutting themselves off from reminders about Trump.
These struggling souls are seeking help for their anxiety, fear, worry, and distress—and sadly, they’re looking in all the wrong places. When Trump eventually leaves office, they will not find peace, but will find a new focus for their fears and anxieties, for the problem is not Trump; it is an unrenewed heart motivated by fear and selfishness.
The solution is Jesus Christ, for them to be reborn, to surrender their life of fear and selfishness and receive a new Spirit, the Holy Spirit bringing them a new life of love and trust, a life of love with a heart motive that, rather than calling for the death of their enemies, they love their enemies and pray for those who abuse them. As Jesus said,
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:43–48 NIV84, emphasis mine).
The godless in the world care only for them and theirs, but God recognizes all human beings as His, loves all people, the righteous and the wicked, and wants to save and heal every single person. When our hearts are renewed by His Spirit, we will share His values, manifest His love for souls, and seek to fulfill His purposes. We will not hate our enemies; we will hate sin and long for our enemies to meet Jesus and be set free from the domination of the spirit of sin, the spirit of fear and selfishness, that is destroying them.
The righteous, while hating evil, do not hate the evildoer; they do not live in fear but live in love and trust of their Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ. They know that He rules on Earth, just as the three worthies knew when being thrown in the fiery furnace, and Daniel knew when going in the lion’s den, as the Bible says:
The Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes (Daniel 5:21 NIV84).
Those who have been reborn with the Spirit of God don’t focus upon or worry about who is in leadership of nations; they don’t derive their security from earthly governments, politicians, or policies, because they know God is Sovereign overall and that our citizenship is in heaven—we are just passing through.
Instead, God’s faithful remember the inspired record of His witnesses throughout history and keep their focus upon Jesus, not this world’s rulers. As Hebrews tells us,
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:1–3 NIV84, emphasis mine).
Don’t let the injustices, outrages, abuses, and terrors of this world become your focus. If you haven’t already done so, turn to Jesus, spend time getting to know Him as He has revealed Himself to be in Scripture, in the outworking of His law of love in nature, and turn away from the comforts of this world, the false philosophies, and surrender your life, your old spirit of fear and selfishness, to Jesus and receive His presence, His love, His peace, His life, the Spirit of love and trust. Be reborn with a new heart that loves God, others, and the truth, and then choose to follow truth, begin to daily internalize more of God’s truth, and cut out of your heart and mind the distortions of this world. For it is by beholding that we are changed. This is a design law, how reality works. We are changed neurobiologically, psychologically, characterologically, and spiritually to become like that which we admire, revere, believe, prefer, choose, focus upon, and cling to.
I encourage you to cling to Jesus, spend time with Him, focus upon His love, His goodness, His methods, His principles, and you will heal, you will find peace, you will stop being tormented in your soul.
But if you choose instead to continue to focus upon the fear, the threats, the world, the abuses, the injustices, the future with all its potential imaginary threats, you will only get worse. The world is filled with an infinite number of lies, fantasies, falsehoods, soothing substances, and schemes all promising to bring peace to the soul, but there is only one genuine solution. Jesus said,
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matthew 7:13, 14 NIV84).
The way for genuine healing and peace is before you; that way is Jesus—I pray you will take it.
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