FAITH: Putting the Holy Spirit in the driver’s seat

Published 5:00 am Sunday, July 27, 2025

Romans 8:5 says, “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.”

In February of this year, my good friend Will Bradley and I were on a missions trip to Uganda. We traveled well over 500 miles during our time there. We had a driver named Jeremiah whom we paid to transport us to several different places for ministry. Jeremiah is a Ugandan and knows the country and driving conditions well. In Uganda, the driver’s seat is on the righthand side instead of the left, and they drive on the opposite side of the road. Traffic conditions are very different and challenging. I can remember several times as I’m in the passenger seat thinking, “I’m sure glad I’m not driving!” Jeremiah is a great driver and safely got us to our destinations.

Who’s in the driver’s seat of your internal world? Romans 8:5 indicates that the decisions we make (our thoughts, attitudes, words, actions, etc.) are controlled or dominated by two very different entities: sinful nature or the Holy Spirit. 

When tragedy or challenge happens, it is interesting to watch and see how people respond. We at Eastside Church recently opened our doors for evacuees from the Highland Fire just south of Prineville in the Juniper Canyon area. I was amazed at how quickly and selflessly people responded to those in need. There must have been more than 20 people that either called us or showed up at our church, not to get help but to offer help. Two different people showed up with more than 15 cases of bottled water. One person came with a loaded pickup and dropped off food that filled our two refrigerators. Multiple people asked what they could do to help the incoming evacuees. One man stayed late into the night to provide security. Red Cross volunteers worked 12-hour shifts and provided care, resources and gave directions for the 25 people who needed care. I was amazed at these people who were so unselfish, gracious, giving and just wanting to help in any way possible. I could clearly see that these people were very much led by compassion and the Holy Spirit. 

We live in a world that is a mixed bag of narcissism (self-focused people) and loving givers (people who put others’ needs before their own). In verse 6 of Romans 8, it tells us that when we let the sinful nature control our minds, it leads to death, and when we let the Holy Spirit control our minds, it leads to life and peace. I am human, and I have moments where I realize that the sin nature has climbed back into the driver’s seat of my internal world. If I don’t wake up and take action, the destination is death in relationships or other forms that are difficult to overcome. 

I have been reading a powerful book by John Eldredge called “Resilient.” He speaks to the post-COVID Christian culture and helps us become aware that our response to the pandemic was a clear indicator that our faith in God is not as resilient as we might think, and we are certainly not as led by the Holy Spirit as we could or should be.  We need to be even more aware of the two choices we have for what our responses will be during times of great challenge: God’s way or the sinful nature way. 

John Eldredge has put together a devotional called 30 Days to Resilient. It is a powerful tool to help put the Holy Spirit securely in the driver’s seat of the heart and mind. It can be found on his One Minute Pause app. What are you hungry for? – living to meet the self-focused wants of your sinful nature? Or is there a greater hunger to live for what brings pleasure and glory to God and life to the world around you? As Joshua 24:15 says, “Choose this day whom you will serve.”

I have come to realize that I cannot put the Holy Spirit in the driver’s seat of my heart on my own. I need help! That is why I seek accountability from Christians. I seek instruction from authors like John Eldredge and a spiritual director I meet with monthly. I try to be open and transparent with brothers and sisters in the body of Christ who can speak truth in love to me and help me stay in a place where the Holy Spirit has control and not the sinful nature. Confess your faults to one another and be healed (James 5:16), it really works!

Brian Carmack serves as lead pastor at Eastside Church. He can be reached at brianc@eastsidefoursquare.org.