What’s Over but Is Never Over

Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. Daniel 2:20-21 NIV

It’s over! The last of the endless campaign ads, the constant belittling of other candidates, and the constant babbling of political commentators. We are going on two weeks since the United States midterm elections ended—well, almost, since a couple of election results are still pending. The 2026 midterm elections are projected to cost approximately $11.9 billion nationwide, according to OpenSecrets. If this number is correct, we have just experienced the most expensive midterm election cycle in American history. According to preliminary estimates from the University of Florida Election Lab, 123.5 million Americans participated.

Adam Przeworski, in his book “Why Bother with Elections?”, writes that “The very idea of selecting governments by elections is quite recent, and still quite rare. The first national-level election based on individual suffrage, in which representatives were chosen for only a limited term. The first time in history that the helm of the government changed as the result of an election was in 1801. Both events took place in the United States.”

Winston Churchill once observed that “Democracy is the worst form of government ever tried- except for all the others.” The power of democracy was on full display on Tuesday. People arrived in their BMWs, beat-up Fords, and on mass transit. People of all social statuses and income levels, educational backgrounds, and countless other descriptors showed up to make their voices heard. Churchill, who was facing threats from fascism and communism, went on to write, “At the bottom of all tributes paid to democracy is the little man walking into the little booth with a little pencil, marking a little cross on a little bit of paper. No amount of rhetoric can diminish the overwhelming importance of that point.”

What happened the day after? Some of you woke elated; others, devastated. Yet we can be certain of one thing: God was still in control the day after the election. Our hope is not in who controls the government but in who controls our hearts. “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.” Psalm 22:27-28.

Our nation has experienced blue waves and red waves, contentious results, hanging chads, and major upsets. Yet the next morning, we drive to work safely, without violence and upheaval. That is not true everywhere. “Competitive elections — elections in which those in power lose when a majority of voters so wish – are no more than a speck in human history. The use of force, coups, and civil war has been frequent, and still continues to erupt in poor countries. Between 1788 and 2008, political power changed hands as a result of 544 elections worldwide—but 577 coups.” (Adam Przeworski)

What does a democracy need to succeed? A church that lives out its mandate to go into all the world, be the salt and light of Christ, and show the world God’s love. “We become better friends to America (and I would add, to all the world) by loving Christ first.” (Jonathan Leeman).

John Ortberg, in a recent podcast, offered a helpful formula for understanding election results. We all enter the voting booth with expectations about what should happen. The problem is that most expectations are based on inflated promises that ultimately go unfulfilled. His formula is “Disappointment equals Expectations minus Reality.” Dr. Ortberg offers four invitations to us as Christian citizens to help mitigate the formula’s results: “Be informed, be involved, be humble, and be hopeful.”

Paul did not live in a nice, tidy democracy where voters could vote out the incumbent party. The government he knew persecuted those who disagreed with it, put to death those it deemed a threat, and limited freedom to only a few. Yet he fully understood that governments were institutions ultimately created by God for the good of the people. “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”          Romans 13:1. James Madison wrote in 1788 that “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” It goes without saying that we are not angels.

God desires all governments to be fair and just, yet He can even use those deemed evil. God allowed wicked Babylon to discipline the nation of Judah. God used the Egyptian Pharaohs to protect His chosen people for 400 years until they were ready to leave for the promised land.

What can we do? Acknowledge that God has ultimate control. “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” (Proverbs 21:1 ESV).

Pray for those in authority. “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” I Timothy 2:1-4 ESV.

Keep our focus where it truly matters. “Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (2 Chron. 20:12 NIV).

I always end my post with, “God is great,” because I know He is, and I hope you do too, no matter the election result.

God is great!