Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest

“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” So spoke Abraham Lincoln, the somber prophet-president of a nation divided, whose heart bore the weight of both justice and sorrow. These words, humble yet thunderous, were not born of pride but of reverence—a reverence for truth, for justice, and for the unchanging righteousness of God. In this utterance, Lincoln lifted the question of divine favor from the realm of human ambition into the realm of moral responsibility. He reminds us that it is not for man to claim Heaven’s allegiance, but for man to align himself with Heaven’s law.

The origin of this saying reaches into the dark crucible of the American Civil War, when brother fought against brother, and the conscience of a nation hung trembling in the balance. Lincoln, weary yet steadfast, was often besieged by voices demanding assurance that God favored the Union cause. But Lincoln, who feared God more than men, refused to speak presumptuously of divine will. He knew that both North and South prayed to the same Almighty, both sought victory under the same heavens, and yet both could not be right. In that moment, he uttered these immortal words—revealing not the certainty of possession, but the humility of submission. For Lincoln’s faith was not in man's righteousness, but in God’s justice.

To say, “my concern is to be on God’s side,” is to confess a truth few dare admit: that the measure of right is not our passion, our nation, or our cause, but God’s eternal law. It is easy for men to claim divine sanction for their desires; kings have done it, armies have done it, and ideologies have done it. Yet all such claims crumble before the humility of Lincoln’s wisdom. For he understood that God is not a partisan of men’s quarrels. His favor does not follow our banners; it follows righteousness. His side is not chosen by strength or success, but by truth, mercy, and moral integrity. To be on God’s side, then, is to walk in the light of conscience, even when the path is lonely and hard.

There is a story told of Lincoln meeting with a group of ministers who prayed fervently for divine favor upon the Union armies. One of them said, “Mr. President, let us pray that God is on our side.” To this Lincoln replied, “No, gentlemen, let us pray that we are on God’s side, for God is always right.” This moment, recorded by his contemporaries, reveals the depth of Lincoln’s humility and wisdom. Though he held the highest office in the land, he did not presume to know the full mind of God. Instead, he saw himself as a servant of a greater moral order. His aim was not to bend Heaven to his cause, but to bend his cause to Heaven’s justice.

The power of this quote lies in its timelessness. It speaks not only to a president in war but to every soul in conflict—be it political, personal, or spiritual. How often do men seek to prove that God endorses their choices, their anger, their opinions? Yet true faith does not claim God’s favor as a shield for pride; it seeks His truth as a mirror for correction. The heart that is humble enough to ask, “Am I on God’s side?” is the heart that walks in wisdom. For pride says, “God is with me”; but humility says, “Am I with God?” And in that question lies salvation, both for the individual and for the nation.

Consider the example of Mahatma Gandhi, centuries later, who faced his own moral battles. Though he was not a Christian, his spirit echoed Lincoln’s insight. When pressed by followers to declare that God favored their independence struggle, Gandhi answered, “God is truth, and truth never harms the just cause.” He sought not to make God his ally, but to make truth his master. In this, he walked the same path as Lincoln—the path of moral surrender to the divine will, rather than the self-willed pursuit of divine favor. Both men, in their humility, showed the strength that comes from moral alignment with the eternal.

Therefore, my child, learn this sacred lesson: God is always right, and it is the duty of the soul to seek His side, not summon Him to ours. In every decision, in every trial, ask not, “Is God with me?” but “Am I walking with God?” When the heart burns with anger or ambition, pause and measure your spirit against His law of love, justice, and mercy. If your cause stands within that light, you will not need to fear the outcome—for even in defeat, you will have triumphed in truth.

And remember this: to be on God’s side is not to be shielded from pain or doubt, but to stand with integrity when all else falters. The man who walks with God may lose the world, but he gains his soul. The nation that aligns with divine justice may struggle through storms, but it will endure. So take Lincoln’s words as your compass: let your greatest concern be not victory, but rightness; not power, but principle. For God is always right, and the heart that strives to dwell upon His side walks the path that leads not merely to peace—but to eternity.