Have you ever thought you were really good at something and almost expected to be praised by those around you? That was what my faith used to be. I thought I was really good at being Catholic and I thought fellow parishioners, my family and even God should be impressed with me. I had heard many times people say things like “invite God into your heart” or “say yes to a personal relationship with Jesus”. I figured I MUST already have a personal relationship with Jesus.

How could I not? Being Catholic was such a big part of my life and my identity. I went to Mass every Sunday and helped out with ministries at my church. Jesus was surely the centre of my life, right?

During high school I attended a retreat and I was struck by the missionary leaders. They had so much joy when they talked about Jesus. I realized they had something that I didn’t, but if I was going to fully say yes to a relationship with Jesus I would have to give God control in every area of my life. I was too afraid of what God would ask me to do if I gave Him everything so I left the retreat convincing myself I could be satisfied enough with my faith the way it was.

In my first year university, a friend invited me to a Catholic conference. I agreed to go, but I wasn’t expecting to have a change of heart. During a night of Eucharistic Adoration, I sat before Jesus and began to realize how my faith hadn’t been about Jesus. It had only been about me and how well I could perform. I finally stopped and looked to Jesus. The truth that I had heard a hundred times before finally became real for me. I was created for a relationship with God, but my sin had separated me from that relationship. I couldn’t repair the damage of sin myself; I was in need of a saviour. It finally hit me: Jesus had died on the cross for ME. I didn’t need to be afraid of saying yes to a love like that. That night I was finally able to surrender everything, saying yes to follow God wherever He wanted me to go and whatever He wanted me to do. That night I said yes to a relationship with Jesus.

When I got home from the conference I knew that something in my life was different. My faith was no longer about performance. It was about a relationship with Jesus. He has transformed every area of my life and I am finally experiencing the joy I saw in those missionaries years earlier.

Maybe you can relate to my story. Maybe you’ve been invited to say yes to Jesus in the past. Maybe you brushed off the invitation like I did, thinking “I’ve got this, I’m satisfied with where I’m at”.

Pope Benedict XVI said:

“If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide.”

I invite you to ask God to reveal the moments He’s worked in Your life, and maybe today could be one of those moments. Maybe today Jesus is inviting you to take a step into a deeper relationship with Him. It all starts with saying yes!