Forming the Habit of Conversing with God

                       Practicing the Presence of God, Part 2

Brother Lawrence cultivated a simple way of communing with God in his everyday duties of cooking, cleaning pots and pans, and whatever else he was called upon to do, which he termed "practicing the presence of God." Everything he did, whether it was spiritual devotions, church worship, running errands, counseling and listening to people, no matter how mundane or tedious, Lawrence saw it as a way of expressing God's love:

I have… resolved to make the love of God the end of all my actions. I have been well satisfied with this single motive…

[However,] I was long troubled by the belief that perhaps I would be damned. All [people] in the world could not have persuaded me to the contrary…

But since the time I saw this trouble arose from lack of faith, I have passed my life in perfect liberty and continual joy. I even placed my sins between myself and the Lord to tell Him that I did not deserve His favors, but He continued to bestow His favors upon me, in abundance anyway!…

When it has been my opportunity to exercise some virtue, I have turned to God confessing, “Lord, I cannot do this unless You enable me.” I then received strength that was more than sufficient.

When I fail in my duty I simply admit my faults, saying to God, “…It is You who must stop my falling and it is You who must amend that which is amiss.” After such praying I allow myself no further uneasiness about my faults…

Recently I went to Burgundy to buy the wine provisions for the society which I have joined. This was a very unwelcome task for me. I have no natural business ability and, being lame, I cannot get around the boat except by rolling myself over the casks. Nonetheless, this matter gave me no uneasiness, nor did the purchase of wine. I told the Lord that it was His business that I was about. Afterwards, I found the whole thing well performed.

And so it is the same in the kitchen (a place to which I have a great natural aversion). I have accustomed myself to doing everything there for the love of God. On all occasions, with prayer, I have found [my work] easy during the fifteen years in which I have been employed here…

My set times of prayer are not different from other times of the day. Although I do retire to pray (because it is the direction of my superior) I do not need such retirement nor do I ask for it because my greatest business does not divert me from God…