My Go-To Prayer

Happy Easter, and Happy Divine Mercy Sunday! The fact that Jesus is risen is the best news ever! For those of you who don’t know why I have a strong devotion to Divine Mercy, you can search my archives to find my other Divine Mercy posts. How my devotion began is one of my favorite stories to tell, but this year I’m called to share something else.

A few weeks ago I gave a talk at a parish, and I opened up the floor for questions at the end. One woman asked what my go-to prayer was, which I thought was a great question. My go-to prayer is a simple yet profound one, and it’s the essence of Divine Mercy: “Jesus, I Trust in You.” It’s simple enough to remember, yet profound enough to challenge me to redirect my thoughts. It’s quick to say when you’re in a really tough spot and can’t articulate a lengthier or more “elaborate” prayer, but it doesn’t lack. That short prayer covers so much!

What I love about saying “Jesus, I Trust in You” is that it instantly recenters me. Whatever I’m worried about suddenly takes the backseat as my focus shifts to Jesus. That simple prayer reminds me that He’s got this, whatever “this” is. It reminds me to rely on Him and His grace, not on myself. This short but powerful prayer takes my focus off of myself or the issue at hand and places my focus where it belongs- on Jesus. It causes me to stop and ask God’s direction instead of trying to figure it out on my own. It reminds me that things won’t always go like I want, but that Jesus tells us we will have crosses and are called to pick them up and follow Him. It reminds me that God does work for good, as we are told in one of my favorite scripture verses:

We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.”

-Romans 8:28 (RSVCE)

It reminds me that we can trust Him. How do we know we can trust Him? One reason is that God’s nature is good. As humans, we are broken and have a fallen nature, so we gauge whether or not we can trust another person by his/her actions, which can be prudent. God, on the other hand, is not broken and does not have a fallen nature. God’s nature is all-good, so we can trust Him, no matter how the circumstances look. The circumstances we see are never to be a measurement for whether or not we can trust God.

Another example of why we can trust Him is that He died for us. Who else has given his/her life for us, because of our sins? I remember the first time the weight of this hit me, and I had to kind of chuckle at myself for not feeling like I could trust Him sooner. We were the ones at fault, and yet His mercy enveloped us in the most beautiful way. How powerful. So yes, we can trust Him. And that supersedes everything.

It’s such a relief to know that God is bigger than any unfavorable circumstances, and that He is most certainly trustworthy. It’s also comforting to know the mercy He has for us- a beautiful and undeserved gift. It’s a gift that requires a response from us though- in how we live our lives, and also in how we seek the sacraments. God is always waiting to meet us in the confessional and extend His grace, mercy, and love.

I got into the habit of going to confession on Divine Mercy weekend many years ago as part of a requirement for a plenary indulgence. As I’ve grown more in understanding on my spiritual journey, I’ve sought out the sacrament of confession much more frequently in general. The closer I grown to God, the easier I see my sin! This Divine Mercy weekend I was in line for confession but didn’t “make the cut” before Mass. The priest graciously agreed to stay after Mass to hear the confessions of those of us who were still in line, and that was a gift. While many people often experience great consolation in confession, I have to admit that I have not often experienced that same relief in confession. I go because I know the importance of the sacrament and need that grace and mercy, but I don’t always feel better afterwards (though on one other precious Divine Mercy weekend, I had a powerful experience!). This general lack of consolation I’ve felt has been an opportunity for my heart to be purified- it’s been an opportunity for me to seek the sacrament for the gift that it is, not just how it makes me feel.

This weekend though, I felt the grace from confession in a powerful way. I was upset about something (grieving, actually) and couldn’t shake it all during Mass. I kept reminding myself that it was a gift to be present for the holy sacrifice of the Mass even though I was not in great spirits. Then I went to confession after Mass and received consolation! I felt the grace and suddenly was not quite in the state of mind I had been earlier. There was nothing I could do to shake the feeling prior to going to confession, so it is a true testament to God’s grace and mercy that covered me in the confessional! There’s no coincidence that this happened on Divine Mercy weekend- what a gift! Jesus, I Trust in You.

I’m very grateful for my go-to prayer of “Jesus, I Trust in You”- yet another gift from His unfathomable Divine Mercy.

What’s your go-to prayer? Share in the comments!

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