God Is Not Surprised by Bad Leadership
The Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes. - Daniel 5:21
One of the most unsettling sources of anxiety is watching people in power act recklessly with little accountability. When leaders seem arrogant, unqualified, or unconcerned about the suffering of others, it can feel like everything is spinning out of control.
Daniel chapter 5 reminds us that this is not new. Babylon was powerful, wealthy, and seemingly untouchable. Its leaders believed they were above consequence. While the city was under threat, the king was throwing a party, feeding his ego instead of protecting his people.
Scripture is honest about the damage caused by irresponsible leadership. It does not minimize it. But it also makes something clear. God does not lose control when leaders abuse their power. The same God who allows leaders to rise also determines when their authority ends.
This truth matters when anxiety tells you that injustice will last forever. Daniel’s story shows us that God sees what human systems ignore. While the king celebrated, God was already writing the end of the story.
It is tempting to believe that power always wins. Scripture says otherwise. Leadership is a stewardship, not ownership. And God takes that seriously.
Faith does not require pretending that things are fine. It requires remembering that no ruler is beyond God’s reach. No system is permanent. No abuse of power escapes divine oversight.
The presence of bad leadership does not mean the absence of God. It means God is still at work behind the scenes, even when the evidence feels thin.
One of the most unsettling sources of anxiety is watching people in power act recklessly with little accountability. When leaders seem arrogant, unqualified, or unconcerned about the suffering of others, it can feel like everything is spinning out of control.
Daniel chapter 5 reminds us that this is not new. Babylon was powerful, wealthy, and seemingly untouchable. Its leaders believed they were above consequence. While the city was under threat, the king was throwing a party, feeding his ego instead of protecting his people.
Scripture is honest about the damage caused by irresponsible leadership. It does not minimize it. But it also makes something clear. God does not lose control when leaders abuse their power. The same God who allows leaders to rise also determines when their authority ends.
This truth matters when anxiety tells you that injustice will last forever. Daniel’s story shows us that God sees what human systems ignore. While the king celebrated, God was already writing the end of the story.
It is tempting to believe that power always wins. Scripture says otherwise. Leadership is a stewardship, not ownership. And God takes that seriously.
Faith does not require pretending that things are fine. It requires remembering that no ruler is beyond God’s reach. No system is permanent. No abuse of power escapes divine oversight.
The presence of bad leadership does not mean the absence of God. It means God is still at work behind the scenes, even when the evidence feels thin.
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