Brother Lawrence Practicing the Presence of God
- Trace Pirtle
- Jul 23
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 25
"Pray without ceasing," 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV)
We live in a world exploding with complex AIs and algorithms, intricate processes and procedures at work, and questionable practices at home. Many have lost their way. They have become numb to the existential anxieties that plague the "modern world." Take a pill for this and receive a psych label for that, and you are "good to go" with an insane schedule of pickups and drop-offs, speeding here and then over there.
It's no wonder people have become detached from God. They don't have time for Him. Many can no longer tolerate one more item added to their "To Do" list that never quite gets done before the day's hourglass runs out of sand. But what if life could be managed more effectively by a simple change in how we see God…how we interact with God, and as a result, with each other? Would it be worth a consideration, especially if it's as easy as picking up a straw from the ground?
If you are familiar with Brother Lawrence (or not), you know that he was a Carmelite monk living in a monastery in France during the 17th century. Before you say his life and mine are NOT the same, read a little further. Brother Lawrence, like many who will read this post, was a wounded veteran, a failed hermit, an unsuccessful "business" person. This was all before he became a monk in a monastery.
But what he did have, and I believe you have had (or will have), is an awakening to the existence of God who wants to be part of your busy day. Oh yes, my brothers and sisters in Christ, Brother Lawrence was as busy in the monastery as you are, a soccer mom or an entrepreneur dad. But Brother Lawrence discovered a secret...not a clickbait secret from mercenary marketers...but a secret that opens the mysteries of the universe and connects us with the Most High God.
Brother Lawrence Practicing the Presence of God: A Day in His Life
But first, imagine "a day in the life of" Brother Lawrence. Brother Lawrence wasn't formally educated and he described himself as "clumsy." He suffered from war wounds and didn't have the look of a priest. So for 15 years Brother Lawrence worked in the kitchen washing pots and pans, preparing meals, and cleaning up after 100+ brothers. I'm sure they had breakfast, lunch, and dinner that he was responsible for. In between meals, he had to greet guests, answer their questions, pray with them, and do the shopping, many times "rolling over barrels" on a merchant ship. He had daily prayer time with the brothers.
Are you starting to empathize with Brother Lawrence as he could with your frantic schedule? Oh, by the way, he didn't like his job either! But none of that mattered. He had a relationship with God that wasn't confined to mass or prayer time. He had a relationship with and a love of God, with every grain of sand that dropped from the hourglass, from the dawn of awakening to the moment before sleep.
Yes!, you say, but he was a monk, and I'm a mom or a dad without formal training in the intricacies of spiritual contemplation. I need procedures…a policy manual…steps to follow! Here is the beauty of Brother Lawrence's no-method, method…you just practice being in the presence of God each moment, regardless of your task at hand, no matter your thinking state or emotional mood. Take it all to Him, whatever you are doing, for the love of God. But I've never done that, you say. Doesn't it take a lifetime of commitment to get to that level of intimacy with God? Nope. But it does take a desire and practice. Brother Lawrence helps us with that in the simplest form.
So here is Brother Lawrence's practice at the granular level…that individual moment of time as the grain of sand changes from potential to past. It is in that moment that he "forms a habit of conversing with God continually and referring all we do to Him, we must first apply to Him some diligence." Brother Lawrence is acknowledging what you and I sense and what the late Yogi Berra expressed: "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is."
In theory, it's easy to say converse with God when the kitchen is on fire or the dog is jumping out the window, and difficult to put into practice when the proverbial whisky hits the fan. But notice that Brother Lawrence doesn't say it's easy; he says it takes some diligence — some practice. But doesn't this become more stressful when "life happens" and we can't (or don't want) to talk with God? Do we need another reason to feel guilty or that we've disappointed God?
How Brother Lawrence Handled Failure and Found Grace
Read what Brother Lawrence said when he faced similar circumstances:
"Lord, I cannot do this unless thou enablest me." And then he received strength that was more than sufficient. When he had failed in his duty, he only confessed his fault saying to God, "I shall never do otherwise, if You leave me to myself. It is you who must hinder my failing and mend what is amiss." Then, after this, he gave himself no further uneasiness about it.
Do you see how his life, your life, and my life are no different? He had "real world" struggles to deal with…he had to practice the presence of God…had times when he failed and asked for help…recognized that he cannot do it on his own…asked for forgiveness…and then let it go! No unfinished business with God, no milestone tied around his neck, just back to Brother Lawrence practicing the presence of God. Sounds so simple, it just might work! It does.
This is the first post in our practical series on putting Brother Lawrence's presence practices into daily life. In upcoming posts, we'll explore how to handle interruptions while practicing God's presence, what to do when you forget to "converse with God," and Brother Lawrence's specific advice for busy parents and overwhelmed professionals. Because if a clumsy, wounded kitchen worker in 17th-century France could find God in the chaos, so can we.
Related Brother Lawrence Posts
Related Brother Lawrence Posts
---* Dr. Trace Pirtle is a retired counselor education professor, Christ-centered writer, and founder of Faith in Action Ministry. He now walks the narrow path with believers who are done with lukewarm religion and long to follow Jesus beyond the church walls. Writing from the Texas Hill Country, he encourages fellow pilgrims to move beyond Sunday traditions into daily fire. Welcome home, pilgrim.
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