5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
don’t rely on your own intelligence.
6 Know him in all your paths,
and he will keep your ways straight.
Reflection
There is a Carrie Underwood song called, Jesus Take the Wheel. In the song, the writer tells of a girl who loses control of her car as it spins on black ice… Jesus, take the wheel. Later this young mom is seen hugging her small child, when she and the child are safe and sound. As she has prayed for their safety, the sense is that Jesus has rescued them. Whew, life (or death) was just too close to call. As I write this devotional, I am thinking about the sentiment of this song. I am wondering how often we particularly trust in God? We are so grateful after startling and messy times, like the moments we feel rescued from something potentially traumatic. But how about if we trust God beyond our most difficult situations?
How do we really trust and obey if we only turn to trusting and thanking God when we are so desperate? It’s the small moments that change our behavior and deepen our faith, like times when day to day life is not particularly eventful. At first, perhaps these are the times that we don’t easily remember God, let alone trust God’s ways.
I want to learn to trust God and look for God always. I’m not there yet. I know this because real trust is without worry for life’s situations. Learning to trust is not overthinking everything, but pausing to pray and then peacefully accepting what comes next. Trusting in Our Lord is letting go of that fear or worry that keeps our faith at a distance. Faith-filled trust is learning to let go so that Jesus really can take the wheel. Take the wheel, Jesus; your GPS works much better anyway.
by Barbara Carlson
for Pondering & Prayer
In all circumstances learning to trust takes faith through continuous practice. is your ability to trust when you really feel doubtful? When do you find it hardest to let Jesus take the wheel? Which situations are the most challenging for you to relinquish control?
Prayer: Lord, I want to know you and trust in you with my whole heart. Let me feel your presence, so that I may give up the illusion that somehow I need to be in charge. But more than that, Lord, please help me to freely let you lead. Jesus, I want you to take the wheel, because I don’t want to do this on my own. Amen