The easy answer is yes. We can trust God is in control and that He will place leaders in our lives who will honor Him. But I get it—it's not always that simple, is it? What do we do with leaders we believe God chose but who do not honor Him with their leadership choices, policies they support, or personal behavior?
Trusting God doesn't mean trusting that life will be easy or that leaders will always do what is right; it means trusting that God is working through the chaos to bring about His purposes.
Something Richard Dahlstrom wrote in The Colors of Hope really speaks to this tension. He said, "Trusting God doesn't mean trusting that life will be easy or that leaders will always do what is right; it means trusting that God is working through the chaos to bring about His purposes." That's encouraging, right? It reminds us that God's overarching plan is at work, even when things feel messy or uncertain.
So, what's our role in all this? As followers of Jesus, we're called to support leaders by praying for them, speaking the truth, and honoring them—even when we disagree with their decisions. Paul talks about this in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, where he urges believers to pray for all people, including those in authority. But let's be clear: that doesn't mean endorsing everything they do. It's about asking God to guide them and trusting Him to work through their flaws.
Think about the stories in Scripture. God's sovereignty often shines through imperfect leaders. Remember King Cyrus? He didn't even worship God, yet God used him to deliver the Israelites from exile (Isaiah 45:1-4). In the New Testament, Jesus acknowledged that Pontius Pilate's authority came from God, even as Pilate made deeply flawed decisions (John 19:11). These stories remind us that God's purposes prevail, even when human leaders fall short.
That said, trusting God doesn't mean we sit back and do nothing. Micah 6:8 calls us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. That means being a voice for truth and justice, even if it means respectfully challenging leaders or advocating for change. It's about living out the values of God's kingdom in our daily lives.
It also helps to take a long-term view. Romans 8:28 assures us that God is always at work, shaping history for His glory and our good. Sometimes, we don't see the immediate results, but that's where faith comes in. Trusting God means believing He's in control, even when things don't make sense to us in the moment.
Ultimately, our hope isn't in human leaders but in the King of Kings. As N.T. Wright puts it, "Jesus' death and resurrection launched God's new world where earthly powers, no matter how corrupt or oppressive, are ultimately subject to the authority of the risen Lord." That's where our confidence lies: in the reality that God's kingdom is advancing, no matter who holds earthly power.
So, can you trust God to choose leaders who honor Him? Yes, because His ways are higher than ours. Even when leaders fall short, God is still at work, accomplishing His purposes. And in the meantime, we're called to pray, speak truth, and faithfully live out the values of His kingdom, knowing that our ultimate trust rests in Him.
