Let Go And Let God (Mostly)

“Let go and let God.”

You’ve heard the saying. Maybe you’ve said it yourself. Or you may even have a t-shirt or mug that says it. It’s catchy and it’s true.

As God’s children, that’s what we’re supposed to do. Leave the driving to Him, trusting He’ll get us where he wants us to be. And we like to think that’s what we do. But is it? Or are there times where you say, “God, I’ve got this.” Or times where you just take off on your own, leaving God out of the picture altogether?

All too often, that’s where we find ourselves: trying to do things on our own and in the way we think they ought to be done. That’s especially true for the 9-to-5 things. Things like paying the bills, going to school, raising the kids, pandemics, or politics. It’s as if we’ve said, “You take care of the ‘getting me to heaven’ part, I’ll handle everything until then.”

In 2005, American Idol winner Carrie Underwood came out with her debut single, Jesus, Take The Wheel. The song went Triple Platinum and spent six weeks at #1 on the country music charts. Interestingly, it also reached #4 on the Christian radio charts.

As a song about salvation, it’s meaningful and mostly on point. But many Christians have a false belief that they’re in control of the wheel. If you’re a child of God, He already has the wheel. We spend too much time grabbing the wheel and trying to go where we want to go. And though He has full control, God often lets us steer down that road, even if it leads to a washed-out bridge. How many times are we going to end up in a raging river before we realize we’re not the best drivers?

We’re to let go of the things of the world and the cares of the world and leave them in God’s hands. Trust completely that God is in full control and has a perfect path laid out for us. Does that mean we just sit back and go along for the ride, doing nothing? Not at all. All along the journey, at work, at school, at the grocery store, we’re given opportunities to invite people to come with us. To let go of their steering wheel and leave the driving to the One who created the universe and has control over all of it.

While I was running errands today, I passed a pickup with a dog in the back. He had his front paws up on the wheel well in the truck bed. His tongue was out, his ears were flapping in the wind, and he seemed to have a huge grin on his face. It’s like he was saying, “Oh, boy! My Master is taking me on a trip. I don’t know where we’re going or how we’ll get there, but I know it will be good. What a great day to be alive!. There’s room back here. Jump on in!”

God is in control. It’s a great day to be alive. Today, more than ever, I want to be that dog. We need to be that dog.

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