Leading a family can be challenging at times. Leading a church comes with its own compounded difficulties. Now imagine for a moment all the pressures that come with the responsibility of leading a nation.

With so many competing voices and multi-layered decisions, it seems impossible for a job to do perfectly. This is the pressure young King Solomon felt when he prayed to God, “Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:9).

Solomon was young but wise enough to know that it’s impossible to lead a nation effectively without God’s guidance. This is why we must pray for our government leaders—that among all the noise surrounding them, they may hear and know the voice of God.

Pray like this: Father, I thank you for those you have ordained to be in authority in this nation. You rule over every authority, and you cause leaders and nations to rise and fall. I pray that you would speak to our nations leaders and guide them, that our nation may be one that honors you and is pleasing to your sight. Give them wisdom and discernment to know right and wrong, and give them the courage to be obedient to your voice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.