Take the aftermath of recent elections as an example. For many, the results of elections aren’t just about policies or leaders—they’re tied to their identity, their moral compass, and their faith in how the system operates. When those outcomes challenge or shatter their expectations, it can trigger a profound psychological and spiritual crisis.

It’s a response eerily similar to what I experienced when I realized the church I grew up in had lied to me about my worth in God’s eyes. I believed I had to meet impossible standards to be loved. When that belief broke, I felt betrayed and unmoored. For a time, I resisted the truth because it was easier to cling to what I knew, even if it was harmful, than to face the uncertainty of change.

And isn’t that what we’re seeing today? People clinging to narratives that no longer hold up under scrutiny—denying reality, lashing out, and spiraling into despair. It’s not just anger at losing; it’s the pain of a fractured belief system. And it’s a pain many are unwilling to face.