Imagine, for a moment, that two different passengers are in a car; neither is the driver. One passenger is on guard, constantly telling the driver what to do and where to turn, even though the driver knows exactly where he is going and is doing an exceptional job driving himself and his passengers. The other passenger is not concerning himself with how the driver is driving the car because he trusts him to get them to their destination. Instead, passenger number two is conversing with the driver and his fellow passenger, singing along to the music playing, and enjoying the scenery as they drive. Who is having a better experience in the car: passenger one or two? You know that the second passenger, who has relinquished control and has accepted being in the passenger’s seat, is enjoying the car ride significantly more than passenger number one, who, although he is not in the driver’s seat, is acting as if he is the driver. We have talked this week in our Bible study together about the call for Christ followers to let go of control and to let the Spirit guide our lives. After all, we are not actually in control. We are not in the metaphorical driver’s seat. When we let go of control and trust the Spirit to lead and guide us, we will reap the benefits of accepting our rightful spot: in the passenger's seat. We will find peace and even life as we trust the Spirit to guide us because the Spirit will always lead us where we want to go: toward God and His kingdom.
The apostle Paul teaches us in Romans 8 the benefits of letting go of control and trusting the Spirit to guide us. As he explained how much better living by the Spirit is than living according to our sinful nature, Paul wrote, “Letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” (verse 6). Paul said it this way in Galatians, another book of the Bible that he wrote: “Those who live to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit” (Galatians 6:8). It is clear from our reading that we have two paths to choose from. We can choose to live for ourselves and our sinful nature, but that path will always lead us toward the sadness, heartache, and destruction that sin and death bring. The far better way is to let go of control and let the Spirit lead and guide us. When we do, we will find true, abundant life that can only be found in God alone. We will also find peace as we trust where and how the Spirit guides us. We have a choice: Will we choose to follow our sinful nature, or let go of control and let the Spirit guide us?
Maybe today you find yourself tired of constantly striving, trying relentlessly to maintain control over your life. I urge you to find abundant life and peace in the Spirit’s guidance today. Let go of control today and let the Spirit guide your life. This is the path toward an abundant life and peace.
Listen to your favorite worship song today and sing it out loud, praising God as the One who is in control of everything. As you worship and praise Him, find peace knowing that God is in control of every moment of every day, and, as a result, you can rest. What a powerful God we serve!
1Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct.
6 Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
11 Notice what large letters i use as i write these closing words in my own handwriting.
12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.
14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.
17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.
18 Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
