The Practice of the Presence of God

The Practice of the Presence of God is a classic of Christian devotional literature composed of conversations, letters, and maxims from Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, a 17th-century French Carmelite monk. The teachings were compiled and published in 1692, the year after Brother Lawrence’s death, by Father Joseph de Beaufort, the abbot of the monastery where Lawrence lived. Revered for its simplicity and spiritual depth, the text emphasizes continuous communion with God through humble, everyday tasks, making it a cornerstone in contemplative and mystical Christian traditions. The text explores themes of The Importance of Constant Prayer in Daily Life, Spiritual Humility and the Rejection of Ego, and Divine Presence as Lived Experience.

This guide refers to the 1982 abridged and edited edition published by Whitaker House.

Summary

The Practice of the Presence of God belongs to the genre of religious and philosophical literature composed by the disciple of a famous teacher, such as the Gospels of Jesus Christ written by his disciples or Plato’s Socratic dialogues. As the disciple, Father Joseph de Beaufort’s voice guides Parts 1 and 4 while Part 2 consists of letters written by Brother Lawrence. Part 3 is a collection of Lawrence’s sayings gathered by Beaufort. The work as a whole resembles a mosaic or verbal “scrapbook” centered around Brother Lawrence, his life, and his teachings.

Part 1: “Conversations” reports various conversations with Brother Lawrence as recorded by Father Joseph de Beaufort. The conversations describe Lawrence’s spiritual journey and his method for achieving union with God, which consisted of being constantly aware of God’s presence by conversing with Him throughout the day. According to Lawrence, such a communion with the divine leads to inner peace, groundedness, and happiness. In particular, Lawrence emphasizes offering small everyday tasks up to God as a means of achieving closeness with the divine. In turn, God responds to our efforts by gradually bringing us to greater moral and spiritual perfection.

Part 2: “Letters” consists of short letters from Brother Lawrence to various persons about seeking the presence of God in everyday life. Alluding at times to the situations of various mutual acquaintances, Lawrence again stresses the need to ground one’s spiritual life in the constant awareness of God’s presence, an effort that will lead to inner joy and restfulness and a relief from life’s difficulties.

Part 3: “Spiritual Maxims” reproduces a number of Brother Lawrence’s sayings and advice about the spiritual life. These reiterate many of the points made in the first two parts in a more aphoristic form. Brother Lawrence sets down specific advice about processes to go through in finding and maintaining a sense of God’s presence in everyday life.

Part 4: “The Life of Brother Lawrence” is a biographical sketch written by Beaufort. The sketch follows Lawrence’s life from his pious childhood to his military career and through his religious conversion while recovering from battle wounds, ending with his joining of the Carmelite order. Despite having a spiritually uncertain start, Brother Lawrence grew in serenity and spiritual mastery the more he placed his trust in God’s grace and sought daily communion with the divine. Over 40 years, he perfected his simple spiritual method, and his example served as an inspiration to many. By the end of his life, Lawrence’s practice of the presence of God was so total that he faced death with serenity and peace.