By the time you read this, people in the United States already are going to the polls for early voting. Election Day itself is Tuesday, Nov. 5. By Wednesday, Nov. 6, we should know who the next US president will be.

In the days and weeks leading up to that decision, people on both sides of the political aisle will be filled with stress, worry, and uncertainty, wondering what the future will hold if their candidate is not elected.

There are things we can do to help us deal with that uncertainty.

First, we can pray. We can pray that God would provide us with government leaders who will carry out their responsibilities with honesty, integrity, and a desire to do what is best for our country. No matter who wins the election, we should pray for our leaders, asking God to give them wisdom, strength, and courage.

Second, we always need to remember God’s promises. A daily dose of the evening news sometimes makes that difficult. There seems to be so much wrong in this troubled world. Respect for religion is decreasing. Attacks on Christian values and truths are intensifying. Violence and crime are on the rise. Respect for human life is disappearing. Those things should not surprise us. God warned us that in the last days these things would happen as Satan continues his relentless attacks on God’s people and his church. But God’s promises can help us set aside our worry and stress. God tells us that he will use all things to work together for the good of his people (Romans 8:28). He promises us that he will be with us always (Matthew 28:20) and will never leave us or forsake us (Joshua 1:5). And when it comes to Satan’s attacks on the church, God assures us that the gates of hell itself will not be able to stand up against the power of the gospel and the mission of his church (Matthew 16:18).

As Christian citizens, we strive to elect leaders who will govern with wisdom in a way that will benefit our country. But how should we Christians look ahead to what happens after the election? Whether or not our preferred candidate wins, we need to remember that our future does not rest in politics or government leaders. Our future rests in the hands of a gracious God who guides and controls all things for our good. And when the unbelieving world—its people or its politicians—thinks that it can do as it pleases and disregard what is right, we only need to remember the words of Psalm 2:

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed. . . .
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
“I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” (vv. 1-6)

So, because of all of God’s promises and because he remains fully in control at all times, the answer to the question “Who will win this election?” is simple. We, God’s people, will.

Learn more about what God says about church and state in the online Bible study “When politics drives you crazy.” Find written and video options at forwardinchrist.net/online-study.

Author: Mark Schroeder
Volume 111, Number 11
Issue: November 2024