Hi
Riven
Yes, I can imagine. I mean look, I don't agree with everything that goes on in our government. I mean, let's be just a bit realistic, we're talking about the work of some several hundred thousand people that make up our 'government'. And as can be clearly understood in the past president's work to build a yuge wall that will be more beautiful than any other wall has ever been built since the beginning of time on earth, just because you're the president doesn't mean that you will always get to do what you want done.
But it's not something that a believer, as I understand what God asks of His children as we sojourn on the earth, to be anxious about. Sure, we live under the system of government that is defined as a democratic Republic, but it's a system, just like any other government system, that is fraught with issues of 'how' to run a group of some 330 million people. And of the more than 500 federal legislators, getting the government to run the way that one person wants it run isn't really a viable option.
We must be realistic and pragmatic about the reality of 'how' life is lived upon the earth. There is no nation where all the people are all happy and glad about every rule of law and 'how' every legislative issue is handled. And it certainly doesn't apply to any nation with millions of people.
So, over all, I'm satisfied with 'how' my government operates. I understand that I'm neither God nor the one in charge of all of how my government operates. But as I look over the globe, of all the governments conceived by men to run large nations of people, the U.S. government system is a reasonably fair system that does allow the people to have some input through their legislators. But often even a state's legislative agenda isn't what all the individuals of that state want.
I just say all that to say that I strive to live in peace over 'what' the U.S. government does. Yes, I dislike tax hikes as much as the next fellow, but I'm also pragmatic enough to know that governments have been collecting taxes to run their operations since at least the days of Matthew the tax collector. But even when God backed off from Israel and gave them a king to rule over them, He warned of the issue of the costs to have their own governance. My motto is that every country, state, municipality that exists within the borders of our nation, and most others, are funded through taxation. Also, as I look across all the nations of the earth, I see that our tax burden here in the States is not particularly onerous by comparison.
So, I try to see that most everyone is doing the best they can and accept that I'm not king and I don't get to make the rules. I strive to live by the rules as a rule and I trust that the government, overall, as God has told me, is there for my good. Oh, and I also try to show some compassion for those who are less fortunate. Jesus said that we would always have the poor with us. Personally, I think that's so God can see how we treat the broken and downtrodden...in our heart. Do we really love every man and woman on the face of the earth as a fellow God-created human being? Forget the national borders. The whole earth is the Lord's. The national borders just help us to show our hate and distrust of others who 'aren't like us'. I try to stay away from those kinds of attitudes in my heart. I believe that God asks us to love and care for everyone, not just believers, and not just those that are like ourselves.
Jesus said that he was leaving two commandments for those who love him to observe. Love God with all your heart and all that is in you. Love others as yourself. That's 'all' others, not just Americans, (for those in the U.S.). Yes, it's not always bright and sunny in my life, but I try not to be anxious and certainly don't feel 'distrust' for the general workings of the government that God has established to rule over me. So the bottom line is that you and I work under a different worldview as regards the place and purpose of earthly governments. That as a rule, they are not bad, but neither are they our own personal governments. They are tasked with trying to establish rules and laws and regulations for 330 million people.
BTW, I think it also appropriate to understand that even God was unsuccessful in getting Israel to honor His law and His rule over them. Even Israel wasn't all happy glad with how God established the first government of Isreal. They also grumbled and groaned under His leadership.
God bless,
Ted