Let God Take the Driver’s Seat by Rick Warren

“Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am” (Matthew 16:24 MSG).

How do you let go and let God? First, you have to make Jesus the manager of your life.

The problem is, we usually want to be the manager of our own lives, and so we argue and disagree with God. We think we know what’s best. The reason you’re under a lot of stress is that you’re constantly fighting God in your mind — “I know God says to do this but I want to do that instead!”

Every morning when you wake up, you have a decision to make: Who’s going to be in charge of your life? Who’s going to be in control — you or God? Who’s going to call the shots — you or God? Every day, moment-by-moment, you are making that decision. When you choose to make yourself the manager of your own life, it causes conflict, confusion, and stress.

Jesus says in Matthew 16:24, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am” (MSG). Here’s what Christians tend to do: When we become believers in Christ, we give him the driver’s seat and then promptly hop into the backseat and become backseat drivers. We’re constantly giving him “advice,” like, “No, turn this way. Stop. Wait. Faster! I want to go that way. I want to see that sight.”

Many years ago Kay and I took dancing lessons from Arthur Murray Studios. The instructor told us that one of the biggest problems couples have is letting the other lead. When they’re both trying to lead, they’re stepping on each other’s feet all the time, and it doesn’t look very pretty.

Your life doesn’t look very pretty when you’re trying to lead with God at the same time. You just need to let God be God and make Jesus the manager of your life.


Talk It Over

What are the details of your life that are most difficult for you to surrender to God?
How have you been quarreling with God without saying a word? What do your actions reveal about who is managing your life?
Determine today to give God control of the areas of your life where you have concerns and stress. What will that look like? What difference will that make in your life?