“Jesus, take the wheel.” I’ve definitely mumbled that prayer under my breath many times… especially when stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic with a hangry 2-year-old in the back seat crying inconsolably over the fact that our car is not, in fact, pink.
It’s a prayer that comes in handy. Thank you, Carrie Underwood, for bestowing a generation with this refreshingly frank and short prayer.
But what does it mean to really let Jesus take the wheel? More than just lyrics country fans belt along to and desperate prayers we give voice to in moments of exhaustion, frustration, or bewilderment… How do we really let Jesus have true leadership over our lives? How do we not simply submit to His direction when we’ve run out of options, but actively seek out His Lordship from day-to-day?
As someone willing to confess her control-freak tendencies, I’ve found that my actions often speak louder than my words. There are times in my life when I claim that I am surrendered to God’s will, and yet my practices and choices reveal a greater commitment to my own agenda than the Lord’s.
I’ve learned to continually examine my actions, make changes, and commit to new rhythms to help me remain open-handed before the Lord and dependent on the Holy Spirit.
Below are some signs that I have found to actually reveal a growing trust in Jesus and reliance on the Holy Spirit. I pray these signs open your heart to new ways to give Jesus the keys and let Him lead the way.
1. You meditate on scripture more than on your circumstances.
You have a habit of reading and meditating on God’s Word, and through this spiritual rhythm, you are growing in your knowledge and understanding of truth. There are a lot of things you could be doing with your time, but you are spending it in scripture, and as a result, you are discerning God’s character and His will through the ups and downs of life. Instead of being weighed down by worries and fears, you place your trust in Jesus, cling to His promises, and experience peace and hope.
2. You are becoming a person of prayer, not just a person who prays from time-to-time.
You are learning that there is no such thing as praying too much. You are committed to a specific time every day to pray, and actively praying throughout the day. Your faith in God is maturing, because as you devote yourself to prayer you are seeing God intervene and provide for you and others.
*Don’t settle for a non-existent, shallow or auto-pilot prayer life. The Lord loves when you come to Him in prayer, and He will reveal Himself to you, speak to you and move mountains in your life. So keep praying even if that means adding even five more minutes of prayer to your day. Pray with others often! Create space to ask God for what you need, yes, but also to praise Him, thank Him, seek Him, listen to Him, confess your sin and your need to Him, and receive from Him.
3. You are magnifying God more than your problems.
There are moments and even seasons where your problems seem insurmountable and all-consuming, but you are choosing to exalt and magnify the Lord, and the Holy Spirit is giving you a clearer perspective. Yes, your challenges are great, but God is greater!
You are praising and worshiping God… even when you don’t feel like it. It’s cultivating a deeper relationship with Him, refining your faith, and renewing your strength for the battles you are facing.
4. You know when to rest.
When you honor the Sabbath by taking a day once a week to rest from your work, you are putting your trust in God to work. Yes there are things that need to get done, and yes, you could be doing them. But one day a week, you don’t. Because you trust God is in control, you choose obedience over exhaustion, and find peace and joy in not just doing, but in being.
5. You practice repentance.
Repentance is not a dirty and shameful word reserved for the worst of sinners. It’s a regular practice of those who follow Jesus. When you become convicted of sin, you don’t bury it, hide it, minimize it or justify it. You confess it to a loving merciful God. You receive His forgiveness and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to choose to believe, act and live differently. Through repentance, you are changing and becoming more like Jesus in your character.
*If you can’t remember the last time you repented, maybe today is a good day to ask the Lord to search your heart. Let Him have Lordship over all your life, even when it means confessing the sin to heal the sinner.
6. You ask God what He wants more than you vocalize what you want.
You serve a Heavenly Father who desires to provide for you. You know you can bring your needs and requests to Him, filled with confidence that He hears and cares for you.
But more and more, you are also asking the Lord what He wants. You don’t want to do all the talking— you want to hear His voice! You are growing in your desire to humbly seek His face, to know Him and to see His will accomplished, even if that means you don’t get what you want or you don’t get it when or how you want it. You are discovering more and more that He is the true prize in life, and there is no greater joy than being with Him.
7. You value obedience over progress.
Yes, you want to see some momentum towards your hopes and dreams. But success for you is shifting. It’s no longer measured by how quickly something grows or how much immediate happiness it brings you. Success is being obedient to Jesus– to His ways, to His teachings, to His leadership over your life. You are less concerned with the outcome of obedience and more concerned with fulfilling your God-given assignment. You trust the Lord will bring a good harvest, as you continue to sow good seed on fertile soil.