Nearer Than We Imagine: Meditations on Practicing the Presence of GodSample

Introduction to Brother Lawrence

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (c. 1611–1691) was a lay brother in the Parisian Carmelite Order. He taught that “our whole purpose…[is] to adore God and to love Him, without worrying about the rest.” While looking at a barren tree one wintry day, the eighteen-year-old Lawrence realized that this tree would blossom once again. He was profoundly moved by God’s providence and overcome with love for God. He was not only converted that day but also forever committed to serving God wholeheartedly. Brother Lawrence believed that by accepting God’s help and guarding our souls, keeping them in tune with God’s will, we can have constant fellowship with the Lord. For decades in the monastery, working in the kitchen and in the shoe-repair shop and doing whatever other tasks he was asked to perform, he practiced, taught, and exemplified this life-transforming path to God.

After Brother Lawrence’s death, his good friend Joseph de Beaufort published The Practice of the Presence of God, a compilation of his letters and spiritual advice, summaries of conversations with the lay brother, de Beaufort’s eulogy of Brother Lawrence, and other observations of his life. The book was first published in 1692, and it has never been out of print, with millions of copies sold. Brother Lawrence is beloved to people of diverse backgrounds around the world. His legacy may be summed up in his teaching that practicing God’s presence can be “one single act that does not end”:

By practicing God’s presence and continuously looking at Him, the soul familiarizes itself with Him to the extent that it passes almost its whole life in continual acts of love, praise, confidence, thanksgiving, offering, and petition. Sometimes all this may merge into one single act that does not end, because the soul is always in the ceaseless exercise of God’s divine presence.

The following devotions are meditations and advice by Brother Lawrence on his experience of practicing the presence of God.

What Does It Mean to Practice the Presence?

What I wanted was simply to belong totally to God, so I decided to give everything I could give in order to attain the greatest blessing in return—knowing Him. I gave myself completely to God, accepting His forgiveness of my sins, after which I renounced everything that might offend Him. I began to live as if there were no one but God and myself in the world.

Sometimes, I thought of myself as a criminal standing before Him, my Judge; at other times, I regarded Him as my Father. I tried to keep my heart in this father/child relationship as much as I could, adoring Him there. I held my spirit in His holy pres­ence, recalling it whenever it went astray. This exercise was rather difficult. Yet I was able to continue it without being disturbed when I was involuntarily distracted. It occupied as much time during my regular working day as it did in my prayer time. At all times—every hour and every minute—I drove everything out of my spirit that might take me from the thought of God.

This has been my everyday routine since I began my walk with the Lord. Although sometimes I practice it timidly and with a great many mistakes, I am still quite blessed by it. This has to be due to the great goodness and mercy of God. We can indeed do nothing without Him (which is truer for me than for others). Yet, when we faithfully keep ourselves in His holy presence and always remember that He is before us, we avoid offending Him (at least voluntarily). Then we may take the holy liberty of asking Him for the grace we need. By our continuing this practice of His presence, He becomes more familiar to us, and His presence becomes a natural thing.

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When I first entered the monastery, I looked upon God as the beginning and the end of all my thoughts and all the feelings of my soul. During the hours that were designated for prayer, I meditated on the truth and character of God that we must accept by the light of faith, rather than spending time in laborious meditations and readings. By meditating on Jesus Himself, I advanced in my knowledge of this lovable Person with whom I resolved to dwell always.

Completely immersed in my understanding of God’s maj­esty, I used to shut myself up in the kitchen. Alone, after having done everything that was necessary for my work, I devoted myself to prayer in the time that was left.

The prayer time was really taken at both the beginning and the end of my work. At the beginning of my duties, I would say to the Lord with confidence, “My God, since You are with me and since, by Your will, I must occupy myself with external things, please grant me the grace to remain with You, in Your presence. Work with me, so that my work might be the very best. Receive as an offering of love both my work and all my affections.”

During my work, I would always continue to speak to the Lord as though He were right with me, offering Him my services and thanking Him for His assistance. Also, at the end of my work, I used to examine it carefully. If I found good in it, I thanked God. If I noticed faults, I asked His forgiveness without being discouraged, and then went on with my work, still dwelling in Him.

Thus, continuing in the practice of conversing with God throughout each day and quickly seeking His forgiveness when I fell or strayed, His presence has become as easy and natural to me now as it once was difficult to attain.

Thought: Remembering [God], praising Him, asking for His grace, offering Him your troubles, or thanking Him for what He has given you will console you all the time. During your meals or during any daily duty, lift your heart up to Him, because even the least little remembrance will please Him. You don’t have to pray out loud; He’s nearer than you can imagine.