John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

Tribulation:

trib-u-la’-shun (tsar, tsar, “staid,” “narrow,” “pent up”; :

1. In the Old Testament:

Closely pressed, as of seals ; of streams pent up ; of strength limited: in other places “distress,” “affliction” 

2. In the New Testament:

The Greek is thlipsis, a “pressing together” (as of grapes), squeezing or pinching (from verb thlibo); used figuratively for “distress,” “suffer affliction”; “persecution,” The word is used generally of the hardships which Christ’s followers would suffer.

In this present age, given all that is going on around us, it feels like we, who are in Christ, are being marginalized. Our influence on society is being ignored.

Deuteronomy 4:30 When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice.

It is not as if God has not been warning us about what is coming.

2 Timothy 3:1-4  English Standard Version

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 

But are these the last days?

Isaiah 46:10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

Another way of looking at these times is that God is not finished.

And neither are we, for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

This is the daily verse used for election day here in America. It is clearly used to point towards governing authorities and many will use it to say God causes political leaders to be elected.

Rather than chastise certain editors for their choice of verses, I would like to get back to the origins of Paul’s letter to Christians in Rome.

Romans 1:7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Paul is addressing those who have accepted Christ in their hearts. He is not addressing all Romans.

“Paul’s intent is to establish that earthly governance is delegated by and accountable to God, meaning its power is limited and not absolute. In this view, the statement is an extension of Christian ethics promoting social orderliness (hupo-tasso) rather than blind compliance positioning human government as a temporary servant of divine order.” Craig Greenfield

To summarize that thought, we as Christians should influence political choices by being a voice for God in the midst of a society that has free will. Not all countries have free will. Not all countries allow free speech. Not all countries have Christianity as a voice of reason.

God does not remove free will from mankind. Just because God knows what will happen does not mean He controls the minds of the masses.

If we live in times that are lawless and embrace self-interests and sins of every type is an indication that our efforts to evangelize the lost have failed.

That does not mean we should stop speaking of God’s love to those who promote sin.