By Briana Bass, Christian Romance Author, Devotional Writer & Certified Professional Coach

The day following the 2024 presidential election I made the mistake of scrolling on social media.

People on both sides were expressing big feelings about the election results. Most of those posters were simply using social media the way we all do to share joys or concerns. Then there were the other posts. I saw innocent posts hijacked by commenters taking shots at one another, some even calling for physical violence against the opposing political party and its followers.

I understand that many of these individuals were reacting to an event that had just occurred. They hadn’t had time to explore their feelings and channel them into productive responses. Then I came across this one post that made me pause. This post didn’t have a ton of views or comments, but it made a huge impact on me. This post simply reminded us to pray for our elected officials.

Talk about conviction! The Holy Spirit slammed into my heart with a force I couldn’t ignore. See, I’ve never really prayed for politicians. Until I read that post. Ever since, I’ve included our elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels in my prayers.

All That Are in Authority

We are called to pray for our leaders. This includes political leaders as well as those in the church and in our secular communities. Whether they were elected or appointed, they need our prayers. As Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (KJV).

Praying for “all that are in authority” means praying for presidents, vice-presidents, congresspeople, governors, and mayors. It means praying for clergy and laypeople in leadership positions. It means praying for school principals, police officers, and other civic leaders. If you’re a student, pray for your teachers. If you’re an athlete, pray for your coaches. If you’re an employee, pray for your supervisor.

It sounds like a lot of names to add to your prayer list. You don’t have to add them all! You don’t even have to pray for them every day. I’ll be honest- I don’t pray for our elected officials every day. But I am consistent in my prayers. They are regularly included when I talk to God.

Okay, we’ve established that we should pray for our elected officials. But what exactly do we pray about?

Changing Hearts and Minds

When I pray for our leaders, I ask God to soften their hearts and guide them towards decisions that align with His will. God knows better than I do what needs changed or encouraged in their hearts and minds. Proverbs 21:1 tells us, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” (KJV). America may not have a king, but we can substitute any position of authority and the Proverb still fits.

Do you remember the story of Moses and Pharaoh? Time and time again, Moses requested the release of his people and each time Pharaoh denied the request. The Bible tells us that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, even as Egypt was ravaged by plagues. For the first seven plagues it is implied that Pharaoh chooses to be hard-hearted. Then, in Exodus 10:20 and Exodus 10:27, the eighth and ninth plagues, we read: “But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go” (KJV). Plot twist! While Pharaoh has free will (as do we all), God still had the power to change his heart. If God can harden Pharaoh’s heart, can’t God soften the hearts of our leaders?

I want to be clear that I do not pray and ask God to force leaders to align with my personal beliefs. My prayers are focused on God moving in their hearts in whatever way He sees fit. I recognize that I am merely human. My ways are not God’s ways. I could be completely wrong on every belief I hold. The same is true for all of us. We are fallible. We are not God. Our prayers should always leave room for God to move in ways that make sense to Him even if they don’t make sense to us.

Don’t Stop Praying

Prayer is an effective tool to change the world. Through prayer, we can petition the Lord to work in the hearts and minds of authority figures. Whether or not you voted for the people currently in office, as a Christian, you have an obligation to pray for them. It is your civic duty as a citizen of Christendom. Our leaders need our prayers.