There is no formula and there is no one way to make a decision to invite Jesus more deeply into your life. Here are some guidelines we hope will be helpful for you.
Surrendering our lives to Jesus is an ongoing process, often with some specific times when we feel inspired (Holy Spirit!) to commit more deeply, or find ourselves with a raw need to experience Him more personally in our life.
Remember, faith is precisely our “relationship with Jesus”. This is specifically about a friendship offered to each of us personally by Jesus and our desire to respond to that offer by a renewed dedication of our lives.
Often some kind of repentance is a natural part of this deepening: asking forgiveness for any ways in which we have been less than the best person we can be. That can be done thru any form of an Act of Contrition, making use of the sacrament of Reconciliation, or just admitting your faults to the Lord and expressing your sorrow.
Inviting Jesus into our lives also can take many different forms. Simply wording your desire to be closer to Him, your need for Him in your life, your inability to make life “work” on your own is exactly what this is about. We have included a couple of pre-worded expressions of that dedication that you might find helpful.
Any of our staff here at Holy Trinity would be happy to pray with you as you do this if you would like the support. Some people like to do this in the privacy of their own hearts; others find it helpful to have someone guide them and pray with them. Please ask if we can be of any assistance!
Lord Jesus, I invite you into my life. I come before you just as I am. I have sinned. Please forgive me. I renounce all sin, all evil spirits, and any way I have opened myself to them.
Lord Jesus, I give you my entire self, now and forever. I invite you into my life. I accept you as my Lord, my God, and my Savior. Heal me, change me, strengthen me, use me as you wish. Send your Holy Spirit into my life and flood me with your presence. Thank you for wanting to be with me. Amen.
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all to me. To you Lord I return it. All is yours. Do with me what you will. Give me only your love and your grace. That is enough for me.
- St. Ignatius of Loyola