17 Exhortations For Christian Citizens
By Brad Isbell - Posted at The Heidelblog:
Published October 29, 2026
Bad government and national decline grieve those who love their country and bring a kind of chaos—a hard providence for Christian citizens. Yet even worse forms of chaos stand at the door if enough citizens (including Christians) give in to anger, passion, and impatience. What are pilgrim-voters and stranger-citizens to do as another supposedly cataclysmic “most important election of our lifetime” approaches?May I suggest two main things: Remember who is in control and respond with biblical wisdom. The latter may call for unfashionably low volume, or even (believe it or not) silence. Chaos has all the agents it needs; give calm a chance. And pray for peace.
There is nothing new under the sun, even in modern electoral politics, but several factors make late 2026 seem unique. The United States is involved in an active, uncertain military conflict in the Middle East, which includes all that comes with Israeli involvement. Russia, an agent of chaos if ever there was one, has its own imperial hot war. Violent protests roil major European cities, and one wonders what this might inspire from the American left. A uniquely polarizing president still occupies the White House, and Congress is up for grabs. Both parties have raised the bar on rhetoric and on using courts and prosecutions for political ends. Add to all this inflation, high energy costs, division (and some radicalization) on the American right, bots, algorithms, agitators, social media-fueled racial rhetoric, and fear and loathing of both immigrants and bad foreign actors.
Just because there is precedent for most of these things does not mean we know how to respond. So, based on the two larger principles of remembering our God who governs providentially and responding with biblical wisdom, some exhortations: ...
