Litany of Trust
The Litany of Trust is a prayer for times when fear, doubt, disappointment, or the desire for control makes surrender to God difficult. Its petitions bring these hidden burdens before Jesus and ask Him to free the heart from everything that weakens faith in His loving care. As the soul repeats, “Jesus, I trust in You,” it learns to rest more fully in Christ and to believe that His will is always guided by wisdom, mercy, and love.
What Is the Litany of Trust?
The Litany of Trust is a Catholic prayer of surrender addressed directly to Jesus. It helps a person bring fears, wounds, doubts, and the desire for control before Christ. Rather than hiding these struggles, the soul names them honestly and asks Jesus for freedom from everything that makes trust in Him difficult.
The prayer moves through two main forms of petition. In the first, the words “Deliver me, Jesus” ask Christ to free the heart from false beliefs and deep fears. These include the fear of suffering, rejection, disappointment, loss, and the belief that God’s love must somehow be earned. The petitions also confront the desire to control the future, understand every event, and depend upon personal plans rather than God’s care.
In the second part, the response “Jesus, I trust in You” becomes an act of faith. The person praying chooses to believe that God is present, that His grace is enough, and that His will is guided by perfect wisdom and love. This trust does not mean that every problem will disappear or that every prayer will be answered in the way one expects. It means placing the whole of life into the hands of Christ, even when His plan cannot yet be seen.
The Litany of Trust is therefore more than a prayer for peace of mind. It is a prayer for an interior change of heart. Through its repeated petitions, the soul learns to release fear, accept God’s timing, and rest in His providence. Each response becomes a quiet act of surrender: Jesus is Lord, His love is faithful, and He can be trusted with every part of one’s life.
Litany of Trust Prayer — Full Text
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.
Prayer Source, Reprint Permission, and Imprimatur
The Litany of Trust was composed by Sister Faustina Maria Pia, S.V., of the Sisters of Life. The Sisters of Life grant permission to reprint the prayer for personal or parish use, provided that it is credited as “written by the Sisters of Life” and is not reproduced for sale.
The prayer received a Nihil Obstat from Reverend Peter Heasley, S.Th.D., Censor Librorum, and an Imprimatur from Reverend Monsignor Joseph P. LaMorte, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of New York, on May 1, 2023. These declarations confirm that the prayer was examined and found free from doctrinal or moral error. They do not make it an official liturgical prayer of the Catholic Church.
Prayer used with permission. Written by the Sisters of Life.
How to Pray the Litany of Trust
The Litany of Trust may be prayed alone, with a family, or with a parish group. No special setting is required, but it should be prayed slowly enough for its words to reach the heart. The purpose is not merely to finish each petition, but to place fear, doubt, pain, and the need for control into the hands of Jesus.
A person may pray the entire litany each day or return to the petitions that speak most clearly to a present struggle. The repeated responses help the soul move from anxiety toward faith, from self-reliance toward dependence upon Christ, and from resistance toward surrender to God’s will.
Prepare the Heart for Prayer
Before beginning, the person praying should become still and remember that he or she is in the presence of God. A brief Sign of the Cross, a moment of silence, or a simple request for the help of the Holy Spirit can prepare the heart to pray with honesty.
The soul does not need to hide fear or pretend that trust comes easily. Jesus already knows every concern, wound, and doubt. The litany is an invitation to bring these burdens before Him without shame and to ask for the grace to trust Him more fully.
A personal intention may also be offered before the prayer begins. It may concern an illness, a family problem, a difficult choice, fear about the future, sorrow over the past, or any situation that is hard to surrender.
Pray the “Deliver Me, Jesus” Petitions Slowly
The first part of the litany names fears, false beliefs, and habits that weaken trust in God. After each petition, the response “Deliver me, Jesus” asks Christ to free the soul from what keeps it bound.
These petitions should be prayed slowly and honestly. When one of them touches a personal struggle, the person praying may pause and speak to Jesus about it. For example, the fear of suffering, the need to control the future, or the belief that God’s love must be earned may require more than a quick response.
“Deliver me, Jesus” is not a demand that every hardship be removed. It is a plea for freedom from the fear, distrust, and inner resistance that keep a person from resting in God’s care. Christ may change the situation, but He always desires to change the heart.
Pray the “Jesus, I Trust in You” Petitions with Faith
The second part of the litany turns from asking for deliverance to making acts of trust. Each petition declares a truth about the love, presence, mercy, and providence of Jesus. The response “Jesus, I trust in You” is an act of faith, even when the heart still feels afraid.
Trust does not require a person to understand everything God permits. It means believing that Christ remains faithful when the path is unclear. The soul chooses to rely upon His wisdom rather than upon feelings, plans, or the need to know what will happen next.
Some days the words may be prayed with peace. On other days they may be spoken through fear, grief, or doubt. Both are real prayers. The act of choosing trust during hardship can become a deep offering of faith.
End with a Personal Act of Surrender
After the final petition, the person praying may remain silent for a few moments and place the day, personal intentions, and unresolved concerns before Jesus. This quiet pause allows the prayer to continue within the heart.
A simple act of surrender may then be offered:
“Jesus, I place myself, my loved ones, my fears, and my future into Your hands. Give me the grace to accept Your will and to trust that You are with me. Jesus, I trust in You.”
The litany may conclude with the Sign of the Cross. Its petitions can also be carried into the day by repeating “Jesus, I trust in You” whenever fear, worry, or the desire for control returns.
Meaning of the Litany of Trust
The Litany of Trust speaks to the fears and false beliefs that often remain hidden within the heart. A person may believe in God and still struggle to trust His love, His timing, or His care during hardship. This prayer brings those struggles into the light and places them before Jesus.
The litany moves through two closely joined forms of prayer. The response “Deliver me, Jesus” asks Christ to free the soul from fear, doubt, and the need for control. The response “Jesus, I trust in You” then makes an act of faith in His love, mercy, and providence. The prayer does not deny suffering or promise an easy life. It teaches the soul to remain close to Jesus through every trial.
The Opening Prayer to Jesus
The Litany of Trust begins by addressing Jesus directly. Although it does not contain a separate formal opening prayer, its first petitions immediately place the person praying in a personal meeting with Christ. Each line speaks to Him as Savior, Lord, and the One who can heal the wounds of the heart.
This direct address matters because Christian trust is not placed in an idea, an unknown future, or personal strength. It is placed in Jesus Christ. He knows human weakness because He took upon Himself a true human nature, suffered, and died upon the Cross. The soul therefore approaches One who understands sorrow and has the power to save.
The opening petitions also call for honesty. The person praying does not need to pretend that faith is strong or that surrender comes easily. Fear, doubt, resentment, and discouragement may all be brought before Jesus. He already knows them, yet He waits for the soul to place them willingly into His hands.
The Meaning of “Deliver Me, Jesus”
The response “Deliver me, Jesus” asks Christ for freedom from anything that stands between the soul and complete trust in God. Some of these burdens come from fear. Others come from painful memories, false ideas about God, or the habit of relying only upon oneself.
Deliverance in this prayer does not always mean the removal of an outward trial. A sickness may continue, a difficult choice may remain, or the future may still be unknown. The deeper request is that Jesus free the heart from the fear, anger, and distrust caused by the trial.
A person may be unable to change a situation, but Christ can change the way that person carries it. He can replace despair with hope, resentment with peace, and panic with patient faith. When the soul prays, “Deliver me, Jesus,” it admits that freedom cannot be gained through willpower alone. Grace is needed.
Trusting That God’s Love Does Not Have to Be Earned
One of the first wounds named in the litany is the belief that God’s love must be earned. This belief can make prayer feel like a test and the Christian life feel like a constant attempt to prove one’s worth.
God’s love comes first. He created each person out of love and sent His Son for the salvation of sinners. Saint Paul writes, “God commendeth his charity towards us; because when as yet we were sinners, according to the time, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8–9). Christ did not wait for mankind to become worthy before offering Himself upon the Cross.
This does not mean that sin is unimportant or that obedience is unnecessary. God calls every person to repentance, holiness, and faithful love. Yet good works are a response to His grace, not a payment made to obtain His love.
The Litany of Trust asks Jesus to free the soul from the fear of being unlovable. A person’s sins and failures may be serious, but they are not greater than the mercy of Christ. Trust begins when the soul stops trying to purchase God’s love and humbly receives it as a gift.
Surrendering the Fear of Suffering and Loss
The fear of suffering can make trust in God difficult. A person may worry that surrendering to God will lead to the loss of health, security, relationships, or cherished plans. The heart may quietly suspect that God will ask for more than it can bear.
The litany does not claim that trust will prevent suffering. Jesus Himself said, “In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Christian trust rests in the promise that Christ remains present within suffering and can bring saving fruit from it.
Surrender means believing that no pain offered to Jesus is wasted. When suffering is united to His Cross, it can become an act of love, prayer, and intercession. The person who suffers may not see its fruit at once, but faith accepts that God can bring grace from what appears useless or unbearable.
The soul may still feel afraid. Trust does not require the absence of fear. It asks the person to place that fear beside the Cross and allow Jesus to carry it with him.
Letting Go of the Need for Control
The desire for control often grows from fear. A person wants to know what will happen, how a problem will be solved, and whether every plan will succeed. When certainty cannot be found, anxiety begins to take hold.
The Litany of Trust asks for freedom from the need to understand every part of God’s plan. Human wisdom is limited, and many events cannot be explained while they are happening. Faith accepts that God sees the whole path even when the soul sees only the next step.
Letting go of control does not mean refusing to plan, act, or meet one’s duties. A person should make wise choices, seek good counsel, and work faithfully. The difference lies within the heart. After doing what can be done, the result is placed in God’s hands.
This surrender brings freedom. The soul no longer needs to carry the weight of managing every outcome. It can act with care while remembering that God alone is Lord of the future.
Trusting God’s Providence and Timing
Divine providence is God’s wise and loving care for His creation. Nothing escapes His knowledge, and no prayer is unheard. Yet His answer may come in a different form or at a different time than the person praying expects.
Waiting can be one of the hardest forms of trust. A delay may feel like abandonment, and silence may seem like refusal. The litany teaches the soul to believe that God is still acting, even when His work cannot yet be seen.
God’s timing is not careless. He knows what each person needs, what the soul is ready to receive, and how one event will affect another. What appears to be a closed door may be protection. What feels like delay may be preparation. What seems like loss may lead the soul toward a greater good.
Trust in providence does not require understanding. It requires confidence in the character of God. He is good, wise, and faithful. The person praying may therefore say with Saint Peter, “Casting all your care upon him, for he hath care of you” (1 Peter 5:7).
The Meaning of “Jesus, I Trust in You”
“Jesus, I trust in You” is the central act of faith within the litany. These words place confidence in Christ rather than in personal strength, changing feelings, or favorable events.
To say these words sincerely does not mean that every doubt has disappeared. At times, they may be spoken while the heart is still troubled. The act of trust lies in choosing to rely upon Jesus even when emotions have not yet found peace.
Each repetition becomes a small surrender. The soul declares that Jesus is present, that His grace is enough, and that His plan is guided by love. Trust grows through these repeated acts, much as love grows through faithful choices made day after day.
The words may also be carried beyond the formal prayer. During anxiety, illness, temptation, or grief, the person can quietly repeat, “Jesus, I trust in You.” This brief prayer turns the heart back toward Christ and renews the decision to remain in His care.
Trust as Surrender, Not Passivity
Christian trust is active surrender, not passivity. It does not excuse laziness, neglect, or refusal to face a problem. A trusting person still prays, works, seeks help, fulfills duties, and makes careful choices.
Passivity says, “Nothing can be done, so nothing matters.” Surrender says, “All that can be done will be done faithfully, and the outcome will be entrusted to God.” These are very different attitudes.
Jesus showed this form of surrender in the Garden of Gethsemani. He prayed, “Father, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me: but yet not my will, but thine be done” (Luke 22:42). He spoke honestly about His suffering, yet placed Himself fully within the will of the Father.
The Litany of Trust teaches the same pattern. The soul brings its desires to God, asks for help, and takes the next faithful step. It then releases the final result into His hands. Such surrender requires courage because it joins human effort with humble dependence upon divine grace.
The Litany of Trust and Divine Mercy
The Litany of Trust shares the same spiritual movement found in devotion to Divine Mercy: the soul approaches Jesus with confidence in His mercy rather than fear of rejection. Both lead the person away from self-reliance and toward complete dependence upon Christ.
Divine Mercy reveals that Jesus desires sinners to come to Him, receive forgiveness, and trust in His love. The Litany of Trust applies this confidence to the many fears of daily life. It asks Jesus to heal suspicion, discouragement, anxiety, and the belief that His care cannot be trusted.
The words “Jesus, I trust in You” are closely linked with the Divine Mercy image and the message given through Saint Faustina Kowalska. In the Litany of Trust, the same act of confidence is applied to suffering, forgiveness, personal worth, the future, and the will of God.
Trust and mercy belong together. The soul trusts because Jesus is merciful, and it receives mercy by turning toward Him with faith. The litany helps the person make this movement again and again until confidence in Christ becomes a steady habit of the heart.
Who Wrote the Litany of Trust?
The Litany of Trust was composed by Sister Faustina Maria Pia, S.V., a member of the Sisters of Life. Although Sister Faustina is its individual author, the community asks that copies of the prayer be credited as “written by the Sisters of Life.” The litany grew from her own struggle to surrender a painful and uncertain situation to Jesus.
The prayer was not written as a theological study or as an official prayer of the Church’s liturgy. It arose from personal prayer and was later shared with others as a Catholic devotional prayer. Its simple petitions speak to fears shared by many people: feeling unlovable, fearing the future, resisting God’s will, and depending too heavily upon personal strength.
Sister Faustina Maria Pia and the Sisters of Life
Sister Faustina Maria Pia belongs to the Sisters of Life, a Catholic religious community whose members seek to bear witness to the sacred worth of every human life. Their prayer and service bring them close to people facing fear, suffering, regret, uncertainty, and difficult choices.
Her religious name can sometimes cause confusion with Saint Faustina Kowalska, the Polish saint closely linked with Divine Mercy. Sister Faustina Maria Pia is not Saint Faustina Kowalska. She is a modern Sister of Life who composed the Litany of Trust from her own experience of learning to place greater confidence in Jesus.
The prayer reflects the spiritual life of the Sisters of Life, with its stress upon receiving God’s love as a gift and allowing that love to free the heart from fear. Sister Faustina wrote the prayer, while her religious community helped prepare and distribute it. The official Sisters of Life website therefore identifies her as the one who composed it while requesting that reprints credit the Sisters of Life.
The Story Behind the Litany of Trust
Sister Faustina has explained that the prayer began after she had made her first vows. At that time, she faced a difficult situation that brought her to a new test of trust. She did not know what to do, and for several months she experienced darkness and uncertainty whenever she tried to pray about it.
While praying before the crucifix in her room, she began to understand that Jesus was not asking her to place her trust in a clear set of circumstances. He was asking her to place her trust in Him. She came to see that surrender was not first about understanding what would happen. It was about giving her consent and love directly to Christ.
During that time of prayer, she sensed within her heart the words, “Write the Litany of Trust.” She wrote the title in her journal but did not at first know what the prayer should contain. Thinking of the form used by the Litany of Humility, she began to write. The petitions came together in about twenty minutes, though the inner struggle that prepared her heart had lasted much longer.
Sister Faustina prayed the litany privately for about a year before sharing it at a talk for young adults about God’s mercy. Afterward, people asked her for copies. Another Sister of Life helped place the prayer into a small card that could be shared, and it gradually spread far beyond the gathering where it was first prayed publicly.
The story shows why the prayer speaks so clearly to people who struggle with fear. Its words were not written from a place of easy answers. They arose while Sister Faustina herself was learning that trust means choosing Jesus when the path remains hidden.
The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur
The Litany of Trust received a Nihil Obstat and an Imprimatur dated May 1, 2023. The Nihil Obstat was granted by Reverend Peter Heasley, S.Th.D., who served as Censor Librorum. The Imprimatur was granted by Reverend Monsignor Joseph P. LaMorte, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of New York.
Nihil Obstat is Latin for “nothing stands in the way.” It means that a qualified Church reviewer examined the prayer and found nothing contrary to Catholic teaching on faith or morals. The Imprimatur, meaning “let it be printed,” gives ecclesiastical permission for the text to be published.
These declarations confirm that the prayer was reviewed and found free from doctrinal or moral error. They do not mean that every Catholic is required to pray it, nor do they make it part of the Church’s official liturgy. They also do not declare that the prayer came through private revelation or that every personal account connected with its composition has received formal Church judgment.
The Litany of Trust remains a private devotional prayer. Catholics may pray it alone, with family members, in prayer groups, or in parish settings, while understanding that it is distinct from the prayers officially prescribed for the Mass and the sacraments.
Permission to Reprint and Share the Prayer
The Sisters of Life grant permission for the Litany of Trust to be reprinted for personal or parish use. They require that the prayer be credited to the Sisters of Life and state that reprinted copies are not to be used for sale.
This permission allows a parish, prayer group, Catholic website, or individual to share the prayer without seeking separate approval each time, provided that the stated terms are followed. The wording of the prayer should be preserved, the proper credit should appear with it, and the reproduced version should not be sold.
The requested credit is:
Written by the Sisters of Life.
A link to the official Sisters of Life website should accompany the credit when the prayer is published online. The authorship notice and reprint terms should remain close to the prayer so that readers can clearly see its source.
Permission to reprint does not transfer ownership of the prayer or place it in the public domain. The Sisters of Life retain the rights to the text while generously allowing it to be shared for personal and parish prayer under the conditions they provide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Litany of Trust?
The Litany of Trust is a Catholic prayer of surrender addressed to Jesus. Its petitions ask Christ to free the soul from fear, doubt, self-reliance, and resistance to God’s will. The repeated response, “Jesus, I trust in You,” helps the person praying place greater confidence in Christ’s love, promises, and care.
Who wrote the Litany of Trust?
The Litany of Trust was composed by Sister Faustina Maria Pia, S.V., a member of the Sisters of Life. When the prayer is reproduced, the Sisters request that it be credited as “written by the Sisters of Life.” Sister Faustina Maria Pia should not be confused with Saint Faustina Kowalska, the Polish saint associated with Divine Mercy.
Is the Litany of Trust an approved Catholic prayer?
Yes. The Litany of Trust has received a Nihil Obstat and an Imprimatur, which confirm that it was examined and found free from doctrinal or moral error. This approval does not make it an official liturgical prayer of the universal Church, nor does it require Catholics to pray it.
What does “Deliver me, Jesus” mean?
“Deliver me, Jesus” asks Christ to free the heart from fears, false beliefs, painful attachments, and habits of thought that weaken trust in God. It does not always ask Jesus to remove the outward trial. It asks Him to free the soul from the fear, resentment, despair, or need for control that may grow within that trial.
What does “Jesus, I trust in You” mean?
“Jesus, I trust in You” is an act of faith in the love, mercy, wisdom, and providence of Christ. The words express a choice to rely upon Jesus even when the future is uncertain or His plan cannot yet be understood. Trust does not deny fear; it places that fear into the hands of the Lord.
When should the Litany of Trust be prayed?
The Litany of Trust may be prayed whenever fear, anxiety, discouragement, suffering, or uncertainty makes surrender difficult. It can also be prayed before an important choice, during illness, while waiting for an answer to prayer, or when a person struggles to accept God’s timing. It is suitable for private prayer, family prayer, prayer groups, and parish devotions.
Can the Litany of Trust be prayed every day?
Yes. The Litany of Trust may be prayed every day as part of a person’s private devotional life. Daily prayer can help the soul recognize hidden fears, surrender the desire for control, and form a steady habit of confidence in Jesus.
Can the Litany of Trust be prayed as a novena?
Yes. A person may pray the Litany of Trust for nine consecutive days and offer it for a particular intention. There is no required or universally established novena form attached to the prayer, so it may simply be prayed once each day, followed by a personal intention or brief act of surrender.
May the Litany of Trust be reprinted or shared?
Yes. The Sisters of Life grant permission to reprint the Litany of Trust for personal or parish use, but reprinted copies may not be used for sale or resale. They ask that the prayer be credited: “written by the Sisters of Life (www.sistersoflife.org).” This permission does not place the prayer in the public domain or remove the required attribution.
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Charles Rogers is a resident of South Carolina and a retired computer programmer by trade. Raised in various Christian denominations, he came to faith in Jesus Christ early in life. In 2012, he began experiencing authentic spiritual encounters with the Blessed Virgin Mary, which led him on a seven-year journey at her hands, that included alcohol addiction, a widow maker heart attack and death and conversion to the Catholic Faith. He is the exclusive author and owner of Two Percent Survival, a website dedicated to and created in honor of the Holy Mother. Feel free to email Charles at twopercentsurvival@gmail.com.
May Our Lady of the Rosary lead you deeper into the grace you have been given. Pray always, and trust the mercy of God while the door remains open.
— Two Percent Survival