Are you exhausted by politics? Well, join the party or, er, club. Approximately 65% of Americans polled in 2023 said they always or often feel exhausted by politics, and 55% feel downright angry about American public life.

Though I certainly acknowledge that trend and those feelings, I do have a theory. Here it is: Americans are fatigued by political information, not political involvement. Only 52.2% of voting-age Americans voted in the 2022 congressional elections, and more than 30% of voting age Americans are not even registered to vote. Many Americans are not directly engaged in day-to-day governance; yet they are inundated by infotainment, political commentary, and virtual political brawls that are leading to exhaustion in and for public life. As citizens and especially as Christian citizens, we need to learn to deal with this political fatigue so we can engage with purpose and energy for the good of our communities and nation as a whole. Here are five steps to do just that:

Many American Christians are saying this: “I am tired, and I am disappointed. So, I am going to quit.” Instead, we should say, “I am tired, but this is important. So I am going to strengthen my disciplines. And I am going to engage in public life in a Biblical way with a strategic plan and for the glory of God.”