Jesus Take the Wheel? You Don’t Even Let Him in the Car
Stop Pretending You’re Following Your Faith When It's Your Emotions Deciding Where to Go
You’ve heard it a thousand times: “Jesus, take the wheel.”
A phrase thrown out in moments of panic, desperation, or when life feels too heavy. It sounds good, and it sounds like something spoken from the lips of the faithful, but let’s be real, most people never mean it.
They’ll mutter the words, maybe even cry while saying them, but they don’t hand over anything. When life turns, they rip the wheel back, stomp on the gas, and steer straight into a wall.
Why?
Because emotions, not faith, drive their actions.
Emotions Make a Terrible Driver
We live in a world where feelings have been elevated above discipline, truth, and fate.
Anger steers conversations, fear dictates careers, lust directs relationships, and jealousy fuels decisions. These emotions are the shot-callers, and all the ancient texts and lessons discussed in Church are forgotten, except for those 90 minutes on Sunday…
You can’t claim to surrender your will to God, fate, destiny, or whatever name you put on it when your emotions sit behind the wheel.
That isn’t surrender, that’s chaos with a steering column.
What you feel in the moment is higher than what you are facing. When you want to let go and say, “God, you’ve got it” you’re supposed to follow the example he’s set and trust in his guidance. Do not expect him to fix this obstacle so you can return to doing what makes you feel good.
“God help me” is meant to be reassuring because even though there’s no safety net below, you can walk the rope.
It doesn’t fix problems; it helps you center yourself.
WWJD is more than a quote on a shirt; ask yourself earnestly, What Would Jesus Do? The answer to that question will guide you, like a spiritual GPS to your destination.
Fate Isn’t a Passenger
Here’s the hard truth:
Fate doesn’t follow your lead.
It sets the road, the conditions, the path ahead.
If you’re white-knuckling the wheel, weaving in and out of lanes because you “feel like it,” don’t be surprised when you crash. And not to belittle or come across as doubting your intelligence, but I’m not talking about literally driving here, I’m talking about how you live your life, and the decisions you make daily.
Faith isn’t just a word.
It’s letting go of control, living by principles that don’t bend when your emotions spike, and understanding that it’s the road itself you must navigate.
The path you’ve chosen is one you either navigate or follow until you walk off a cliff.
What It Looks Like in Real Life
When you say “Jesus take the wheel” but still lash out when angry, you’re not letting go.
When you claim to trust God but panic every time money’s tight, you don’t trust that things will work out with your path.
When you preach faith but your lust, envy, and hatred keep dictating your decisions, you’ve prioritized your temporary body over your eternal soul.
Don’t call on fate while still letting emotions run your life.
That’s like asking a surgeon to save you while you keep grabbing his hand mid-operation; you must accept life as it is, and align your actions with your desires.
Want to be saved?
Stop doing the stupid things and trust those who can help you.
Let the surgeon do his job, and trust God’s playbook, which he’s given you, to enjoy the life you desire.
If you want fate, God, or destiny to guide your life, stop treating it like a catchphrase and start treating it like an action plan you must follow immediately.
Shut your emotions up.
Put discipline in the driver’s seat.
Let your principles, not your impulses, dictate your direction.
Otherwise, stop saying “Jesus take the wheel.” Because if you’re still driving drunk on emotions, He’s not even in the car with you.
- Zac Small