The older I get, the more concerned I am with our political system. I voted in my first presidential election in 1984. I was just 18 years old. I was so excited to vote in my first major election. It may be just nostalgia, but it felt to me like everyone was hopeful about the election. I knew exactly who I wanted to vote for, which felt patriotic. Then, in every subsequent Presidential election over the next few decades, I knew exactly who I wanted to vote for and why. It still felt very patriotic. Something changed in the 2020 Presidential election. Voting became less patriotic and more combative. Everyone seemed to be “up in arms,” both figuratively and literally. My heart became more burdened as our country had never felt so divided.
Now, we come to the current Presidential race. It is a 100% dumpster fire. You are either emphatically behind one candidate or hate both of them. The economy is in the toilet as inflation spirals out of control. The divide in our country is worse than ever, and tensions are on the rise. I watch people battle each other on social media in posts and comments. A sense of anger and hatred permeates the whole political conversation. I am very concerned about what is going to happen in our country on November 5, 2024. I find that much of my prayer time with God has been spent pouring out this burden on my heart. The answer I have received each time has been the same. It has given me some comfort, and hopefully, it will help you as well as I share it with you.
God is sovereign. He is 100% in total control of everything and will work everything out according to His plan. This doesn’t mean that your political candidate will win, though. It means that God will put the person who works best in His sovereign plan into office, period. Whether your candidate wins or loses, the person God ordained to be in office will win. I looked at the Bible and saw that this precedent was clearly spelled out.
Daniel 2:21 says;
“He changes times and seasons; He disposes kings and raises up others.”
Psalm 75:7 says;
“It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.”
Romans 13:1-5 says;
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. “
It is clearly spoken. God establishes who He wants in office, not us. God established His Plan at the foundation of creation. He knows exactly how things will end and positions the right people in the right places. I am in no way saying that everyone who wins political office is godly. Absolutely not. Sometimes, God puts those who rebel against Him in power. He can use whoever is in office to do exactly what He wants to happen. It is all ordained. I like what Jerry Bridges says in his book “Trusting God”;
“We should remember again that God, in His infinite wisdom and sovereignty and for a reason known only to Himself, allows rulers to act contrary to His revealed will. But the evil actions of those rulers against God’s children are never beyond the bounds of His sovereign will. And we should remember that God works in history from an eternal perspective, whereas we tend to view the outworking of history from a temporal perspective.”
It is God who decides who “sits on the throne” or behind the Presidential desk. He is totally in control of all that is going on. Even though it may not seem like it, God is orchestrating everything to work according to His plans. A great example of this would be the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. God sent His only son to Earth to live as a human being. He lived among us, ate with us, was tempted like us, and Jesus was crucified by the Romans and the Jewish leaders of the day to silence Him. The Jewish religious leaders thought they had won and defeated Jesus, but that was absolutely wrong. It was all part of God’s plan, and He used these men to fulfill His plans. Look at what Peter says on the Day of Pentecost:
“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.”
- Acts 2: 22 – 24 NLT
The plans of the Jewish religious leaders totally backfired. They schemed and plotted against Jesus. They got people to lie at his trial. They twisted Jesus’s words against Him to find Him guilty before handing him over to the Roman officials for crucifixion. All of this was done to stop the growing number of people following Jesus. All of this was done to end “followers of the Way.” Fifty days later, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, preached those words in Acts Chapter 2, and 3,000 people were added to Jesus’s followers. God ordained for that to happen. He knew Jesus was going to have to be crucified and then rise from the dead. In fact, Jesus knew exactly what was planned out for Him. It was not a surprise. It was the plan established at the foundations of creation by God Himself.
“So if God has already ordained who is going to win the election in November, what should I do?” you ask. It is simple. Number one, pray and ask God to show you who He wants you to vote for. I know it sounds simplistic, but it is the most important thing you can do. Through prayer, God reveals His will to us in all things. He can also direct you to the right decision to make in this election. I like what the Bible says in Philippians 4:6-7 in the Message Bible;
“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
Secondly, vote your convictions. I have a firm grip on what I believe through studying the Bible, praying, and seeking God. I know how I stand on the issues and plan to vote according to my convictions and beliefs. I encourage you to do the same. Don’t just vote for a particular political party because “that’s who we have voted for.” Vote by who represents what you believe in, whether it is popular or not. I am in no way trying to convince you to vote for one candidate or the other. That is your choice, and you have to make it according to what you believe is right or wrong.
Lastly, and this is the most important, regardless of who wins, pray for them. I cannot express how vital this is for our country. The divide in our country is growing daily. There is so much hatred for those who didn’t vote the way we did. One side of the political aisle despises the other. Both sides claim to be in the right, while the other is to blame for the problems. If we, as Christians, would follow what God teaches in His Word, we would see a massive change.
1 Timothy 2:1 – 4 says;
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
We are commanded to pray for our leaders, even those we didn’t vote for. It all goes back to God being sovereign over everything. God is still in control regardless of who wins on November 5, 2024. He is still sovereign, and trust me, He isn’t all worried about who won. You shouldn’t be either. He will use that person to fulfill His good and perfect will and plan just as He has every president, senator, king, queen, dictator, mayor, governor, and ruler who has ever sat on a throne or behind a desk. No government is perfect, but God is still sovereign over everything. He is good, perfect, and can be trusted with the outcome.
