(ThySistas.com) I will never argue against the power of prayer. With that being established it is important for our church elders, and believers as a whole, to understand we can pray about everything and trust God to cover us…but we may still be emotionally affected by what we are facing. One of the things that angers people with church is, it seems no one is invested in working you through pain and anger. The moment something happens, and you express anger and pain they want to be able to tell you “Never forget God is good” or “no matter what God is still on the throne”. No one will negate that, but it is insensitive in the moment and becomes cliché at best. The effectiveness and comfort are lost on those statements because they are not the ending thought…they are the words that too many are leading with. Many of our sistahs, and people, were hurt deeply after the election. Some had trouble functioning throughout the day because of the possible outcome. Some left work early, others were nauseous and could not eat a thing.
When Trump was projected the winner, many had anxiety attacks, vomited, cried out in despair, and other were gripped by fear to the point of military silence. The church has to understand too many of the members understood what was at risk. Some of us read Project 2025 and know that this election wasn’t about party lines, but truly the soul of this nation was hanging in the balance and America choose to injure itself deeply. The understanding of this made some Black people feel like time was about to rewind. They felt as though they were now sentenced to have to fight the same battles as their ancestors because the history is about to repeat itself.
Moments such as this are crucial in terms of spiritual well-being. Having a justifiable anger feel dismissed isn’t going to being anyone closer to God. This won’t make anyone want to come together to open up about how they feel so that someone can assist them with managing the anger and disappointment in a spiritual way. The church for our people was at the center of our movement for human and civil rights. The church used to be active in movement for freedom and it was a safe haven for our emotional state. Now it seems as though we can’t express our heart without being shut up with an affirmation that is true, but in the moment dismissive. This is not something that just took place…to many of us have been enduring this every time something goes wrong. It’s as though one doesn’t want to be infected with our anger or they simply don’t’ care to deal with it. If the latter is the case, the ministry might not be the calling because care is necessary. In making someone feel dismissed we are often time insulting their intelligence.
Please know that those that are expressing anger are aware that you very well may be angry also. Due to that there is an underlining hypocrisy per se because you want someone to have a response you yourself can’t fully manage. It’s the facade that allows you to appear strong, together, and unmoved by what is happening in the world. That’s not the truth, many of our ministers are also disappointed, angry and have justifiable concern for what we could be about to go through over the next four years and beyond. If we are all honest with each other about what we are feeling, we can move forward together and help one another stand.
Anger is an honest emotion in this time. Fear of what’s to come is a very real sentiment. As believers we much be a true safe space for one another. It’s okay to cry, express fear, question how you will navigate publicly, and even express feelings of wanting to isolate or segregate if that arises. These things need to be able to be talked about. Most of the times that is what the congregation is needing…to be heard and to have their pain seen and acknowledged by another human being. We can do this for one another, and in this open space we will better know how to pray for each other and assist with the resources that might be needed now, or in the future. At the end of truly being heard, reminding each other that “God is good” and no matter what happened his is still reigning on the throne hits different. In that moment it is not dismissive…it is comforting.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
May connect with this sister over at Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/christian.pierre.9809 and also Twitter; http://twitter.com/MrzZeta.