The Practice of the Presence of God In Modern English

by Brother Lawrence

he developed the practice of living always in conscious awareness of God.

He said that we should establish ourselves in a sense of God’s Presence by continually communing with Him.

We ought to give ourselves to God in both mundane and spiritual matters.

He resolved to make the love of God the goal of all his actions.

He proceeded to do everything there for the love of God, praying continually for God’s grace to do his work well.

He always enjoyed himself no matter what he was doing because he did everything, even the smallest things, for the love of God.

He secluded himself to pray, according to the directions of his Superior. But he did not need such solitude, nor did he ask for it. Even the busiest work did not distract him from his communion with God.

He was very aware of his faults, but he was not discouraged by them.

He did everything with the intent to please God, and did not worry about consequences.

He had pondered this subject much, and concluded that the shortest way to God was to go straight to Him by a continual exercise of love and doing everything for His sake.

He said he was more united to God in his outward work, than when he left it for devotion in seclusion.

Many people do not advance in the Christian life, because they get stuck in penances and particular spiritual exercises. They neglect the love of God, which is the goal.

Our sanctification does not depend upon changing what we do, but in doing for God’s sake what we normally do for our own sake.

The most excellent method he had found of going to God was to do our normal activities without any view of pleasing men, and (as far as we are able) purely for the love of God.

It was a great delusion to think that times of prayer ought to be different than other times.

It is just as important to adhere to God by action in the time of action, as by prayer in time of prayer.

His prayer was nothing other than a sense of the presence of God.

he hoped that God might give him something to suffer when he had grown stronger.

He surrendered himself to an attitude of faithful devotion and insight rather than reasoning and thinking.

When he had finished, he examined himself to determine how he had discharged his duty. If he had done well, he gave thanks to God. If not, he asked for forgiveness.

Examen

"The time of work," he said, "is not different for me than the time of prayer.

Even though I have done this practice very imperfectly, I have found it to be very helpful.

even when I was in the midst of my work. I considered God to be always with me and often in me.

I must tell you, that for the first ten years I suffered greatly from the fear that I was not devoted to God enough,

He practiced for 10 years!

It seemed to me that all of creation, reason, and even God Himself were against me.

I have stopped practicing all forms of devotion and set prayers, except those which I am obliged to participate in. I make it my practice only to persevere in His holy presence. I do this simply by paying attention to, and directing my affection to, God. I call this the actual presence of God. It is a habitual, silent, and secret communion of the soul with God.

He seeks to do nothing, say nothing, and think nothing which may displease Him.

In the spiritual life, not to advance is to retreat.

God will not permit a soul, which desires to be devoted entirely to Him, to also desire other pleasures than Him.

It is not necessary to be in church to be with God. We can make our heart a chapel where we can withdraw from time to time,

Do not restrict yourself to certain religious rules or forms of devotion. Instead act with a general trust in God, with love and humility.

I advise you not to use a lot of words in prayer. Many words and long monologues are the causes of wandering minds.

I do not pray that you be delivered from pain. But I earnestly pray to God that He will give you strength and patience to bear the pain.

I did not pray for relief, but I prayed for strength to suffer with courage, humility, and love.

We should commit ourselves unceasingly to this one goal: that everything we do be little acts of communion with God.