The Practice of the Presence of God

Part 3 presents a miscellany of Brother Lawrence’s maxims and sayings, arranged under various topical chapter headings presumably by Beaufort. The sayings are presented without comment as to whether they are Lawrence’s own writing or were transcribed or otherwise redacted by Beaufort, or in what form they originated. This ambiguity is consistent with the style of the book as a whole, which aims at being a spiritual guide rather than a historical or biographical document.

The maxims balance descriptions of the nature of the spiritual life with prescriptions and moral exhortations, sometimes expressed in a series of steps (as in Chapter 6) or as descriptive lists of spiritual benefits (as in Chapter 7). Throughout, Lawrence uses the first-person plural “we,” implying that the spiritual quest is a collective effort in which he includes himself, reflecting the core theme of Spiritual Humility and the Rejection of Ego.

In contrast to the rest of the book, in Part 3 Lawrence offers step-by-step methods for the spiritual life, such as that described in Chapter 6, “The Means of Acquiring God’s Presence.” This gives Part 3 a more methodical angle on the spiritual life than in Lawrence’s other writing. Lawrence’s aim in these maxims is to give a more rationally ordered account of the spiritual life that will be helpful in a practical way. As in the rest of the book, the emphasis is on loving God “in spirit and in truth” and “with a humble, sincere love that comes from the depth and center of our souls” (63). At the very beginning of Part 3, Lawrence emphasizes the primacy of faith, hope, and love for attaining union with God—an emphasis that serves as a cornerstone for the section as a whole. The point is that, even if someone doesn’t follow each step to the letter, these core principles will ensure one remains in the presence of God.

The main idea of Part 3 is consistent with the rest of the book: The relationship with God as the highest goal of life, to be pursued continually “in preparation for all eternity” (58). This highlights The Importance of Constant Prayer in Daily Life. The relationship starts with faith, hope, and love and an acceptance of one’s own dependence on God. Tempering his positive spirituality, Lawrence briefly mentions the obstacles to spiritual growth that come from “the world, the flesh, and the devil,” which always threaten to distract people from their spiritual goals (59). Declaring one’s dependence on God is itself a way of fighting these forces and restoring peace to the soul.

More so than in other sections of the book, in Part 3, Lawrence stresses God’s sovereign transcendence. Although God is closer to people than they realize, He is at the same time the Supreme Being, who is “infinitely perfect and worthy of our praise” (63). God’s sovereign nature requires a corresponding realization of one’s own humility, for human nature is “just the opposite of His” (63).

At the same time, this realization of divine transcendence is tempered by the knowledge that, although He is supreme, God “is willing to make us like Him, if we desire it” (63). Love—rather than power or respect—is the motivating force for Lawrence, reflecting the traditional Chrisitan conception of God as desiring to share His life with human beings. This highlights the theme of Divine Presence as Lived Experience. While the recognition of boundaries and differences between humanity and divinity is necessary, the end goal of spirituality is “the union of the soul with God” (64).

Lawrence stresses that this absorption in God involves turning away from “the things of this world” (65) that distract people from their ultimate spiritual goal. In the end, the sacrifices pay off in the simple but profound experience of the presence of God, a reality that becomes totally “natural” for the individual. Chapter 5, “The Presence of God,” describes the practice as “the concentration of the soul’s attention on God, remembering that He is always present” (66).

Significantly, while elsewhere Lawrence characterizes communion with God as peaceful, in Part 3, he qualifies that it is also dynamic and exciting—“livelier than fire and brighter than the unclouded sun” (64). This adds dimension to his description of the spiritual life, specifying that such a life includes dynamism as well as peacefulness—an implication of the inner drama of resisting the temptations of the world.