Jesus, Take the Wheel (Because I Keep Grabbing It)

Picture this: Ardmore, Alabama, circa 2009 (ish). A family is gathered in their living room, probably watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Suddenly, from the bathroom, echoes the unmistakable sound of a nine-year-old belting out:

“Now I don’t even know MY LAST NAAAAME!”

Yep. That would be me, singing Carrie Underwood in the shower… again.

Did I have any clue what I was actually singing about? Absolutely not.

Was I having the time of my life? Without a doubt.

Did my family carry this memory for the next 16 years? You bet.

You have to realize-- I loved Carrie Underwood.

In college, I’d take “Before He Cheats” to the karaoke mic like it was my anthem—dramatically dedicating it to a boy I dated for a solid 24 hours junior year. For the plot, of course.

But these days? It’s not revenge ballads that hit home. It’s her 2005 classic:

“Jesus, Take the Wheel.”

Because now more than ever, I’ve learned how essential it is to trust God.

But let’s be honest: trusting God doesn’t come naturally—especially when everything in us wants to slam the gas, grab the wheel, and shout, “Don’t worry, Lord—I got this!”

Spoiler alert: we don’t got this.

I’ve lived through seasons where I fully trusted God. I’ve also lived through seasons where I trusted only myself.

I’ll let you guess which one led to peace and which one led to chaos.

And it’s not just me. Scripture is packed with examples of what happens when people skip the whole “trust God” step.

Remember Abraham and Sarah? God promised them a child (Genesis 17:15–19). But when the waiting got awkward, they tried to “help Him out.” Cue Hagar, Ishmael, and a messy situation that could’ve been avoided with a little patience and trust.

Or the Israelites? God literally parted the Red Sea for them… and a few chapters later, they’re longing for Egyptian onions (Numbers 11:5). Onions!

That’s what happens when we trust our cravings more than our Creator.

So, what happens when we don’t trust God?

Here’s what I (and probably you too) have experienced:

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1. We Trade Peace for Panic

Isaiah 26:3 says,

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You.”

Translation? When trust goes out the window, peace usually tags along.

I’m not sure about you, but my life is in absolute shambles when I lack the peace of God. When peace is gone, then it seems like nothing else can go right.

Chaos thrives in the absence of trust.

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2. We Create Plan B (…and C, and D)

Proverbs 3:5 tells us:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…”

But what do we do? We lean like it’s our full-time job.

We lean on our own logic. We lean on what others think. We lean on vibes of what feels right.

And then? We patch together plans and then ask God to bless the blueprint we drew in panic mode.

And then we wonder why we keep having to create more and more plans when they don't work out.

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3. We Perform Instead of Rest

When we stop trusting God, we start hustling—for approval, for purpose, for validation.

Trust me, I’m preaching to myself here.

We try to earn grace (which completely misses the point), stack up “spiritual brownie points,” and exhaust ourselves in the process.

Galatians 3:1b–3 reminds us:

“…For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?”

Convicting, right? It got me good.

Lack of trust whispers, “You better work harder so God won’t change His mind.”

But trust boldly states, “The cross already sealed the deal.”

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So what does happen when we do trust God?

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1. We Live in Relief

Relief comes when we surrender control.

And when trust takes the wheel, panic has no room in the car.

We can’t panic while trusting, because when we fully trust, our control is in the hands of someone greater. And when control is gone, we have nothing left to panic about- Because it’s not on us anymore.

There’s something wildly freeing (and yes, a little terrifying) about not being in control.

It’s like jumping off a cliff into the river of grace. (Preferably metaphorical—because I still wouldn’t jump. Nosebleeds.)

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2. We Get to Simply Be

This week, a speaker looked out over a room of ministry leaders and said:

“Stop asking God to bless your work and start doing the work He’s already blessed.”

I straight GIGGLED. Not because it was funny, but because… well, he got me there.

When we stop pushing our own agenda and submit to God’s, we get to live in Proverbs 3:6:

“…in all of your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

We get to abide in Jesus and let Him do the rest.

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3. We Find Our True Identity

In The Me I Want to Be, John Ortenberg writes:

“God designed us to delight in our actual lives. When I am growing toward the me I want to be, I am being freed from the me I pretend to be. I no longer try to convince people I am important while secretly fearing I am not.”

When we trust God, we stop performing and start becoming.

We trade striving for belonging.

We live from identity, not for it.

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So here’s the final reminder, friend...

Before you grab the wheel (again)… pause.

God doesn’t ask us to trust Him because He needs an ego boost or affirmation.

He asks because He sees the potholes we don’t.

He knows the curves ahead we can’t predict.

Trust isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.

It’s not passivity—it’s power.

It’s not defeat—it’s rest.

So the next time you’re tempted to hijack the journey, take a breath.

Hand God the keys. Let Him drive.

Even if it’s slower than you’d like, or it doesn’t come with your Spotify playlist.

He’s the best driver there is—because He’s never taken His eyes off the road… or you.

Songs for reflection, prayer, & singing:

Desperate - Mosaic MSC

Breathe - UPPERROOM

Always on Time - Elevation Worship

Satisfied in You - The Sing Team