If you want life, you must surrender your life to Him and allow Him to give you what you need. God's economy is very different than our own. Real life doesn't come from our efforts to grasp pleasure and comfort. It comes from our learning to die to those things. Although it seems ludicrously backwards, I can testify to the truth that the greatest joy and life that I have found has come through me learning to die to my own attempts at finding life and trusting in God's way of providing it.

If you are not sure that you are ready to make this commitment (laying down your life for His), don't pray the prayer. Take your time and think through the decision. Jesus warned us of the dangers of rushing into this commitment. He suggested that you think it through like a man considering the costs of building a house or a king deciding to go to war against an opponent with a larger army (see passage Cost of Following at bottom of page).

He doesn't want anyone to make a shallow decision to follow Him. He said that doing so is like someone who takes hold of a plow but then turns around and looks back. Indecision leads to lukewarm commitment - and that leads to disillusionment. He has so much more for you than that. He wants you to hunger for Him with all of your heart. He will be had by you when you come to realize that He is a treasure of great worth. He is so precious that you are willing to go and sell everything you have in order to have Him (not that you will need to do so but that is the measure of your desire for Him and the life He has for you).

If you are not at that point yet, don't feel pressured into making a decision. That is a dangerous thing. What you have is a little hunger. God wants to increase it. Give Him time. Simply say yes to Him where you are right now and ask Him to increase your hunger. Ask Him to show you the futility of all of your previous efforts at finding life and happiness. Ask Him to reveal to you His beauty and worth.

To do anything else is to set yourself up for disappointment. A shallow commitment made through uncertainty is like seed that a farmer sows but falls onto rock or hard ground. It doesn't go deep enough to give you the life you need when the difficulties and distractions of life come your way. Give God time to break up the hard ground of your heart. Allow His dealings to soften your receptivity to His ways. Give Him opportunity to awe you with His majestic beauty. Let Him show you His faithfulness, goodness and trustworthiness. You will know that you are ready when you are willing to do anything to have the life He offers you. No price will be too great once you understand the treasure that is found only in Him.

If you are at this place of readiness to exchange your life for Jesus', click the right arrow below to proceed to the first of two pages of the prayer. This icon indicates that this is the end of this page, but there are additional pages in this article. Please click the right arrow below to proceed to the next page.