Learning to Live in the Presence of God
Lessons from Brother Lawrence
Do you go through your days feeling close to God, in constant awareness of his presence?
I don't.
If I do feel close to God, it's usually restricted to a very short and defined period of time, early in the morning. During what most people call their "quiet time” when I'm sitting in our living room drinking a fresh cup of coffee with zero distractions. It's just me in silence with an open Bible, journal, and a clear mind.
There's only one problem.
Once I’m on cloud nine with the Holy Spirit, I leave our home and enter the world.
In this world I find work to do and things which always go wrong. I find people distract me from the holy centeredness I attain in the morning. I get stuck too long at a light, I realize I forgot something, I run late to a meeting, or I say something hurtful to another person.
Before I know it, the clock strikes 10 am and I've already lost whatever sense of God's presence I had by lunchtime.
Recognizing this, I’ve decided enough is enough. Christ didn’t die for us to have a little piece of his presence then move on with our day. But how do I change this? Where do I start?
Thankfully, I found just what I was looking for in a tiny book by a Carmelite brother in the 17th century.
It’s called The Practice of the Presence of God.
No matter what he was doing, Brother Lawrence sought to live every moment in loving communion with God. He “believed it was a serious mistake to think of our prayer time as being different from any other. Our actions should unite us with God when we are involved in our daily activities, just as our prayers unite us with Him in our quiet devotions.”
To do this he offers two simple remedies:
Cultivate "the holy habit of thinking of Him often”
Have "quiet, familiar conversation" with God
Brother Lawrence would tell God what was happening around him. He’d tell him what he was thinking, feeling, and doing. He’d ask God for strength during chores, conversations, and moments of struggle.
He spoke “simply and plainly” with God as if speaking to a friend or parent and eventually everything became an opportunity to practice the presence of God.
Washing dishes became an offering of love to God and neighbor.
Walking down the street granted moments of silent prayer and worship.
Difficulties became opportunities to speak to God, asking for strength.
What initially required intentional practice became a daily habit of being. All of his time was woven with the presence of God.
This leaves me wondering how my life would change if followed this path.
What if I didn't see people as hindrances to knowing God's presence but channels to this very thing?
What if I received every moment as an opportunity to converse with God or act out of love for Him?
What if I asked God for strength in regular moments of frustration and weakness?
What if I saw my morning “quiet time” as the warm up, not the climax, of a day spent with Jesus?
After reading Brother Lawrence’s little book, I’m hoping to make a change and practice God’s presence throughout my days. I hope this newsletter helps us all to do the same too.
One Book I’m Reading: To Hell With the Hustle
In our day when staying up late and working till we drop is the norm, Jeff Bethke says, as the title suggests, “to hell with it.”
Burnout is not the way of Jesus.
Destructive work is not the way of Jesus.
These habits are forming us into particular type of people and drifting us further from the life Christ longs for us to live. This book shines a spotlight on these malformed visions of life and work we face today, offering a better way.
"Burnout is not the way of Jesus." Woof. Good stuff buddy!