As we reflect on the 2024 Presidential Election, many of us may find ourselves asking hard questions about God’s role in choosing leaders. How can a God allow a leader to rise to power who might not align with what His Word says about being a righteous leader? This is not a new question — Scripture shows us that God has always allowed confident leaders with unique purposes to fulfill His plans. Nothing that any leader does — past, present, or future — falls outside God’s sovereignty.

The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. — Proverbs 16:4 (ESV)

God sees what we cannot. In His sovereignty, He allows leaders to rise, not as distant observers but as the One who weaves all circumstances into His more extensive plan. This doesn’t mean God condones all actions, but it does mean that every leader, whether good or flawed, serves a purpose in the story He is writing. We may not see that purpose immediately, especially when their rule brings challenges or pain.

His Glory 

This truth is woven throughout history. We see it in the lives of His people in Egypt, where God allowed the Israelites to suffer under Pharaoh’s rule. Why would a loving God permit His people to be enslaved? God Himself answers in Scripture:

For this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. — Exodus 9:16 (ESV)

Through Israel’s suffering, God revealed His power and faithfulness. Without the experience of bondage, they might never have seen the miracles of the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, or the promise of deliverance. Hardship was how they came to know God as their deliverer and redeemer. In the same way, our trials — even those arising from leaders we may question — can shape us, drawing us to depend on God.

God uses all things for our good, even when we perceive them as hard. We may feel certain struggles are unfair or that God wouldn’t place something so difficult in our path. But He sees beyond the immediate, using our challenges to mold us, guiding us toward reliance on Him, and shaping us into the likeness of His Son.

Romans 8:28 speaks to how God works through all things, using even suffering for a greater purpose:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. — Romans 8:28 (ESV)

Israel’s suffering in Egypt was not wasted. Through hardship, they encountered God’s faithfulness and protection, learning that He alone was worthy of their trust. God allows trials not merely as tests but as tools for refining, revealing His purposes in ways we may not see immediately.

God’s sovereignty extends beyond what we can see, guiding both nations and individuals. His purposes are vast, His timing perfect, and His plan complete. Like the Israelites, we may grapple with questions at the moment. But by faith, we can trust that every leader, every circumstance, and every hardship is held within His sovereign hand, working for our good and His glory.

He Knows

From the beginning, God knew Israel’s journey would lead to Egypt. Long before their enslavement, He spoke to Abraham about what lay ahead for his descendants:

Then the Lord said to Abram, ‘Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.’  — Genesis 15:13–14 (ESV)

God allowed Pharaoh’s power to grow over Israel, and Pharaoh’s resistance was no surprise to Him. Instead, it became the stage for God’s power to be seen by Israel and the nations around them. In Exodus 9:16, God declares to Pharaoh, “For this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” God clarified His sovereignty by allowing Pharaoh to rise in power: even opposition can serve His purposes, revealing His authority and glory.

His Purpose

Israel’s suffering in Egypt wasn’t just about endurance; it was a way of drawing them into deeper dependence on God. Through hardship, Israel learned that only God could truly deliver them.

Then the Lord said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them.’  — Exodus 3:7–8 (ESV)

In their affliction, God was not distant. He was present, guiding them through a painful process that would shape them into a people set apart for His purposes. This pattern repeats throughout Scripture: hardship brings God’s people to a place of humility and reliance on Him. Through their suffering, God prepared Israel to receive His covenant and enter the Promised Land.

Matthew Henry observes, “Their sufferings prepared them for deliverance; their cry for help prepared them to appreciate the answer” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1706). God uses hardship to reveal His power and to draw us closer, preparing us for the next step in our journey with Him.

Our Salvation

The Exodus is more than a historical event; it foreshadows Christ’s ultimate deliverance. Just as God led Israel out of physical slavery in Egypt, Jesus frees us from spiritual slavery to sin. God’s work in Exodus points to the cross, reminding us that His plans reach beyond immediate circumstances.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. — Isaiah 55:8–9 (ESV)

While His people, it’s also hard for us to understand that God sees the whole picture, orchestrating each story in a way that reflects His wisdom and love. The same God who planned Israel’s deliverance has planned ours, from beginning to end, so His glory may be known and His people made whole.

Join the Conversation

How do you see God’s sovereignty playing out in our events today? Has a difficult season or challenging leader ever shifted your perspective on relying on Him? I’d love to hear your thoughts on how God’s plan has shown up in unexpected places in your own life. Share your reflections on God’s sovereignty, questions, or even a Bible story that shaped your view of God’s purposes. Let’s explore together how He uses all things for good.

The opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect the views or positions of my employer.

I’m a dad who blogs about the intersections of life, faith, family, and technology. These are the threads that weave through my personal and spiritual walk.