I was talking to a very wise priest about some things I had tried (and failed) to attempt to expand faith in my Catholic high school. He told me that many Saints started off this way on the journey to holiness, being so eager to do everything for God that we don’t actually do what He wants. Then, very simply, he told me that I have to listen and just do what He wants me to do.
I have found that this is all about conversations in your relationship with Him. Prayer is all about conversation with God, and that has to be present in your relationship.
God is the witness of the inmost self and the sure observer of the heart and the listener to the tongue. // Wisdom 1:6
Conversation with God
God knows everything, but He still wants you to talk to Him, to ask Him for help, to trust Him. Asking Him what to do in situations is like asking Him to help you. He knows what you need and could just do it, but He wants you to ask and be close with Him. He could just make the decision for us, but He gave us free will and wants you to listen to Him, choose to do His will, and make the right decision.
How Does This Look?
As the priest told me minutes later, you don’t have to do anything. Open up your heart and tell the Lord your desire to listen more closely to Him and to do His will in your life, and let Him do His work.
Honestly, this kind of scared me at first. What if I mess up? Will it really be this clear? Spoiler: you will be fine and it is amazing.
An easy way to start is to ask Jesus about the little, everyday things so you become comfortable and ready to listen to His Voice in the big decisions. I even ask Him which sweatshirt I should wear in the morning, and that alone has brought us so much closer. It will be hard to listen to His voice at first, but have patience with yourself and Him. He will help you, and after time you will learn to recognize His voice more in your life.
It is easier to ask the Lord about something so small as a sweatshirt. It gets harder with the bigger things, as you may not remember or the answer might not be as clear. That is why it is so important to start with the little things; though it is not easy at first, it helps you form a habit of listening to His voice.
Give Him Your Trust
A good place to start in this endeavor of holiness is to give Him your trust. You have to trust His will above all else if you are going to make decisions based off of what He wants. Depending on your situation and past, trust may be hard to give. One prayer that I have found very helpful in my own life is the Litany of Trust. I always use this beautiful version from the Sisters of Life.
From the belief that I have to earn Your love
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that I am unlovable
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the false security that I have what it takes
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that trusting You will leave me more destitute
Deliver me, Jesus.
From all suspicion of Your words and promises
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the rebellion against childlike dependency on You
Deliver me, Jesus.
From refusals and reluctances in accepting Your will
Deliver me, Jesus.
From anxiety about the future
Deliver me, Jesus.
From resentment or excessive preoccupation with the past
Deliver me, Jesus.
From restless self-seeking in the present moment
Deliver me, Jesus.
From disbelief in Your love and presence
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being asked to give more than I have
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the belief that my life has no meaning or worth
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of what love demands
Deliver me, Jesus.
From discouragement
Deliver me, Jesus.
That You are continually holding me, sustaining me, loving me
Jesus, I trust in You.
That Your love goes deeper than my sins and failings and transforms me
Jesus, I trust in You.
That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You are with me in my suffering
Jesus, I trust in You.
That my suffering, united to Your own, will bear fruit in this life and the next
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You will not leave me orphan, that You are present in Your Church
Jesus, I trust in You.
That Your plan is better than anything else
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You always hear me and in Your goodness always respond to me
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You give me the grace to accept forgiveness and to forgive others
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You give me all the strength I need for what is asked
Jesus, I trust in You.
That my life is a gift
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You will teach me to trust You
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You are my Lord and my God
Jesus, I trust in You.
That I am Your beloved one
Jesus, I trust in You.
It worked. Asking God what He actually wanted created so many opportunities to expand faith, and it still does.
Remember, you do not have to do anything except listening to Him. It will bring you so much peace. Talk to Him, whether it is about your job opportunities or sweatshirt options, and you will grow in intimacy with Him.
If you need a reminder to daily place your trust in Jesus, here is a beautiful Jesus, I trust in You poster in the BIS Shop.
The Small Step to a Radical Prayer Life #BISblog //Click to tweet
Anna Anderson is passionate about her Catholic Faith with devotions to Mary, Help of Christians and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Anderson is planning to become a Salesian Sister when she finishes her education. She is also very passionate about the pro-life movement, and believes that abortion stops one heart and breaks another. Her view is that the whole point of the pro-life movement is love; therefore, she treats all women with compassion no matter her circumstances.
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