For two long years, Americans – Democrats (and Trump opponents) in particular – have waited breathlessly for Robert Mueller to be their knight in shining armor, swoop in with his Russia collusion report and finally be the hero to deliver what they so desperately desire: President Trump impeached.
When the report amounted to what essentially was a giant nothing burger, it was a major heart-check moment for those pinning their life hopes on this report. What happened this weekend revealed the sorry status of hearts all across America, and the secular progressive left’s biggest problem: treasuring politics above all else — a false idol that when worshipped will produce nothing but disappointment, anger, fear, sadness, and hopelessness.
The poster child response came from Bette Midler, who described a series of surprising symptoms after finding out the President of the United States indeed did not collude with the Russians. One would think, regardless of party affiliation, it would be viewed as a good thing that America’s top politician hadn’t corrupted the election process.
Instead, Midler — whose tweet was liked tens of thousands of times — perfectly demonstrated what happens when we place something other than God at the center of our hopes and dreams:
#DonaldTrump has forced us to live through war as a nation for the last two years; he has caused depression, despair, confusion and death. We're not just sick at heart, but literally sick from him; from uncontrollable rage at the thought that he will get away with his crimes.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) March 25, 2019
If you (as a Christian) are feeling depression, despair, confusion, sick at heart, and ‘uncontrollable rage’ after learning the President is not guilty of corruption, I strongly recommend repenting immediately because you are placing your hope and trust not in Jesus, but in politics.
Placing your hope and trust in politicians will produce exactly the kind of rotten fruit Midler is currently experiencing.
If you want to understand how millions of people were reduced to absurdity after Trump’s election, crying in the streets and crippled by fear and anxiety, and you want to understand why we’re seeing that today in the wake of the Mueller report — you have to understand that everyone worships something. That’s how God designed us – we were made to worship Him.
Those who don’t follow Him still have the desire to worship embedded in their hearts. When they misdirect this worship, it leads to exactly the kind of folly we saw from Bette Midler this weekend. It reduces people to absurdity (crying in the streets after Trump’s election in 2016, disappointed their President isn’t corrupt today) because the god they worship is impotent, unable to deliver them, unable to provide peace and contentment no matter what situation they are facing.
It’s interesting, people often point to the Israelites of the Old Testament and marvel at their folly as they continually revert to worshipping false idols and failing to place their trust in God. Even when He provided a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day for them to follow, dropped fresh food from the sky for them, parted an entire sea and swallowed up Pharoh and his army in a watery grave – they still grumbled and doubted and placed their hope elsewhere. They wanted to return to being slaves!
They were acting absurdly — but it’s easier to fall victim to than it seems. We are all guilty of idol worshipping at times – whenever we believe the lie that something else will bring us peace and joy and contentment. Whether it be porn, drugs, spouse, children, job, career, money, fame, looks, etc – let us use this example of misplaced worship as an opportunity to repent of the areas we are believing the lie, or choosing the fleeting passion over the lasting Savior, the worldly gain over the treasures in Heaven.
Our hearts are prone to wander. Pray for our own hearts, and for those who are lost and placing their God-given desire to worship in all the wrong places.