The Practice of the Presence of God

In this summary of Brother Lawrence’s life, Beaufort explains that God continually raises up saints, and Brother Lawrence was such a holy person. Born Nicholas Herman, Lawrence had upright parents and received a morally focused education. As a young man, he joined the military and was taken prisoner by German troops but was released after showing serenity and endurance in the face of threats. After being wounded in battle and recovering in his parents’ home, Lawrence decided to dedicate himself to religion. He first retired to the desert, but the solitary life was not congenial to him, and he instead joined the Carmelite order in Paris, taking the name Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection.

Haunted by his past sins, Lawrence at first felt unworthy of God’s grace, but he persevered in seeking to serve God. In turn, he received an assurance of God’s grace and forgiveness that ended all his doubts and pain. Lawrence spent the last 40 years of his life in “continuous practice of the presence of God” (79), praying as often as possible and doing simple tasks out of love for God. Lawrence described these practices as easier and more effective than seeking the divine through complicated spiritual processes.