The Practice of the Presence of God

Brother Lawrence began life as Nicolas Herman, born of peasant parents in Lorraine France. As a young man, poverty forced him into joining the army, where he was guaranteed meals and a small stipend. It was during this period that Herman experienced a sudden and supernatural elevation of clarity that allowed him to see deeply into the common sight. It was so profound that it altered the course of his life and soon afterward he set off to seek the solitude of a hermit's life as his uncle had done before him.

In 1640, at the age of 26, he joined the Discalced Carmelite Priory in Paris, entering the priory as a lay-brother taking the religious name, "Lawrence of the Resurrection". He made his solemn profession of vows on August 14, 1642, and spent the rest of his life within the Carmelite community, as a cook and sandal-mender. Gradually the monastic environment led him to a place in his heart where the love of God made every detail of his life of surpassing value. “where I began to live as if there were no one save God and me in the world’’ Together, God and Brother Lawrence cooked meals, ran errands, scrubbed pots, mended sandals and endured the scorn of the world.

Despite (or perhaps because of) his lowly position, he gradually gained a reputation for experiencing profound peace, and visitors came to him seeking his spiritual guidance. The wisdom he passed on to them, through conversations and letters--and written down by a notable cleric-- would later become the basis of the book ‘The Practice of the Presence of God’ – published posthumously around 1693. This modest little book comprises sixteen short ‘Letters’ written by Br Lawrence; a short collection of ‘Spiritual Maxims’ embodying his views, four ‘Conversations’, and a brief outline of his life, It was destined to become a classic of Christian theology.

Such a lovely, lovely book. ( )

A spiritual classic - now to re-read it!

I've had this in my queue forever - even before I had a Kindle, since I have a paper copy that belonged to my father. I've read at this over the years and have finally completed it.

It's a simple text, one which boils down simply to:
"we should establish ourselves in a sense of GOD'S Presence, by continually conversing with Him."

Not hard, but not easy always to remember. The most marvelous takeaway I find in it is simply saying the title as a self-command: practice the presence of God! It's a tremendously centering meditation. ( )

Reprinted 1957.

The Practice of the Presence of God in Modern English is modern translation of the timeless spiritual classic. Written over 300 years ago in French, The Practice of the Presence of God is here presented in language understandable to the twenty-first century English reader. Not a paraphrase or an abridgment, this version is a faithful rendering of the text in the spirit of the original work.