Why We Need to Pray for Leaders We Don’t Like
The Bible clearly tells us to pray for those in authority. It doesn’t matter whether or not we actually like those people or believe they’re worth praying for—God still asks us to pray for them.
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim. 2:1–4 NASB)
The invitation in 1 Timothy 2 is to pray for “kings and all who are in authority.” Consider what that means practically. Who has authority in this nation? The president, the vice-president, the attorney general, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the leadership of our individual cities, the mayor, the sheriff, etc.
Someone could say, “Why would I pray for government leaders? All of them are corrupt, and praying for them is a waste of time.”
But I think we would do well to “waste” our time praying for those in leadership. When a chorus of intercession arises from God’s individual people, it strengthens leadership so they become able to separate out what’s right and what’s wrong and which way we as a people should go.
Without those prayers, our leaders are sometimes left having to address the groups with the loudest voices of complaint, criticism, and faultfinding. But when we pray for our leaders, they are given understanding on how to rule.
That, by itself, is a good reason to pray—perhaps especially for the leaders we don’t like or approve of. We want those people in particular to have the wisdom to rule. Not human wisdom. Not the wisdom of the world, which eventually leads to darkness. But the wisdom of God.
Prayer is a divine way we can support those God has truly placed in leadership over us. Even if they don’t know Him, we can pray for heavenly wisdom to be theirs. We can pray that His truth would be right in front of them, that it would be visible and evident to them, and that they would be able to run to it for guidance.
So let’s pray for our leaders. Let’s willingly make this sacrifice and dedicate ourselves to praying for them, because the nation needs wisdom.
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