Hoping All Things for the Next Administration

How to pray for a unjust ruler

Photo by Srikanta H. U on Unsplash

While brainstorming for today’s paid subscribers’ post, I asked readers for recommendations, and someone suggested that I write something on how to pray for “wicked rulers,” which I took to be a reference to the election and our President-elect, Donald Trump. In my view, last Tuesday night was going to be a sackcloth-and-ashes election whichever candidate won. Even if Harris won we should still be asking the question of how to pray for an unjust ruler. While I agree with those who are pleased to see that a radical Pro-Abortion and progressive agenda will not be pursued from the highest office in the land, I can’t rejoice that an unjust ruler who has promoted Pro-Abortion policies like state-funded IVF (among other Pro-Abortion causes), who was partially responsible for and defended the Jan. 6 violence, and who is a habitual liar is back in office. I am left conflicted.

Some, I know, will find that reprehensible. They will insist that I either rejoice unreservedly or lament unreservedly. But as I survey the facts I cannot do so. Be mad or disgusted with me if you have to. As many people expressed this election cycle, we were given the choice between two evils; well, one evil won. Now, in John Piper’s words, we must be tested with that evil. Responding to that test means answering the question: how do we live with that evil as Christians? Specifically for this post, how do we pray? I think the answer would be true regardless of whether Harris won or Trump won. I think the answer is to pray in hope.