The Holy Spirit never forces us —yet, through gentle correction, can keep us from drifting into legalism or permissiveness.

We recently purchased a car with Steering Assist for the first time. At first, it felt odd: whenever I strayed from the center of the lane, the wheel would gently pull me back. My instinct was to resist, but I soon understood this feature was for my good. That same gentle guidance is a helpful image of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.

Scripture warns us not to turn either to the right or the left. God told His people:

“So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left.”
—Deuteronomy 5:32

The way of obedience is straight, but our hearts are prone to wander. Drifting to the right can mean adding rules and traditions that God never asked for—the arrow in the diagram below shows the Holy Spirit gently nudging us back to center.

Drifting to the left can mean ignoring God’s commands or excusing sin, and again, the Spirit pulls us back to the right path.

I have felt these tugs more than once. Sometimes I become overly strict—like trying to track every calorie or gram of sugar. Eventually, I get frustrated and swing to the other extreme of overindulgence. Neither end is healthy. Food is just one example, but the principle applies to the Christian life as a whole: on one side, rigid legalism; on the other, careless permissiveness.

When I drift toward legalism, I sense the Spirit reminding me, “You’re burdening yourself with rules I never gave you.” Another danger is pride: holding others to my own standards leads me to look down on them. The Spirit gently corrects, “Return to the center. Judge less. Walk humbly.”

When I drift into permissiveness, the Spirit warns, “You’re returning to the very sinful ways you once left behind. Repent, and return to your first love.”

The Spirit’s prompts can be resisted, but wisdom tells us to yield. Ignoring these nudges only leads us further from God’s will.

Today, some automakers are developing cars with full automation, claiming they don’t need any driver input.

But after fifty years of following Christ, I know the Christian journey is never on autopilot. We always need the Spirit’s guidance—without it, we risk ending up in a ditch.

The lesson: remain sensitive to the Spirit’s promptings. Ask God daily to keep your heart responsive—through prayer, his Word, and fellowship with other believers. When He tugs your heart, don’t resist. Allow Him to realign you with His will.

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