Who’s Your Designated Driver?

In a recent conversation with a friend, we talked about how so many people call on Jesus when they are going through tough times but want little or nothing to do with Him during the good times. It reminded me of how people use the phrase “Jesus take the wheel.”

As usual, I pictured an entire scenario. Imagine you are in the passenger seat of a car while a friend is at the wheel. When they put on the turn signal to change lanes or make a turn, you instinctively turn your head to make sure it is safe. If they get too close to the vehicle in front of them, your legs may move involuntarily, as though you can step on the brakes and slow down for them. At times you are a bit tense, bracing yourself because they’ve startled you with an unexpected sudden movement. I am fairly sure many, if not most of us tend to do this. When someone else is at the wheel, it is sometimes hard to relax when we are used to being in control.

In life when we say we want Jesus to take the wheel, we are usually referring to a specific situation that we’re dealing with. We want Jesus to get us through that situation. Instead of resting while Jesus is at the wheel, we’re looking all around to make sure we feel confident about His ability to drive. Once He has brought us through the situation we were dealing with, we almost immediately take back control. Some people go through years or even their entire lifetime operating this way.

The last few years for me have been what I will describe as spiritually intense. The most important lesson I have learned in my life is that I either need to be all in when it comes to my relationship with God, or I am completely out. I was saying that I want everything God has for me, but I was not willing to do everything that God was asking me to do. God made it perfectly clear that if I want everything He has for me, I would have to fully submit and allow Him to break me down completely and then build me back up again according to His will, so that I can be used for His purpose. For so many years, I operated in insanity. I wanted Jesus at the wheel when I was going through something but always took back control when things were good. If I am honest, even when I allowed Jesus to be at the wheel, I still had my hand on it, trying to navigate in a way that would keep me comfortable. I never gave Him full control in every area of my life.

Eventually, I reached a point where I had to decide. If I wanted to have peace at all times in my life, I had to be all in. Now, the scenario in my mind of being the passenger in a car is quite different. Jesus is at the wheel, I’ve put on my seatbelt, I have a book in hand, and I am settled in for the ride. Okay, the book is actually my phone, but let’s assume I’m reading the Bible app or watching a video on YouTube that contributes to enriching my journey. I have no desire to ever drive again because every single time I do, I get lost and end up at an entirely different destination than what I wanted. I don’t need a GPS to make sure Jesus is going in the right direction. I do not need to double-check His every move. I trust Him completely, and I make sure to tell Him so. I rest, enjoy the ride, and when He wants me to do something, He will let me know. And I will do it.

At some point during the ride, I notice that the doors are unlocked. I can get out if I want. God has given us free will because it is completely up to us whether we want to ride with Him or not. I tell Him that I see that the door is unlocked but I am not going anywhere. I remind Him of His promises and let Him know that if I’m not going anywhere, and He’s not going anywhere, I am expecting Him to fulfill every one of those promises because I am going to do everything He asks. I say to Him, “…on earth as it is in Heaven. You told me I could have that, and I want it.” He smiles at me, and I feel at peace.

I’ll tell you the real deal here. There may be lots of tears. Some are tears of joy and others may come from a place of pain. Just remember that Jesus wept too. He knows how hard our human experience is. This journey is not for the weak. But you know what? God did not create you to be weak. If you have forgotten who you are, read Romans 8, and when you get to verse 37, you will see that you are more than a conqueror. I rest my case. For now. I’ll come up with another metaphor to remind you again soon. You’re welcome.

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