Practice of the Presence of God, The

“We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.” The Practice and Presence of God is a collection of writings and teachings from Brother Lawrence. Brother Lawrence – originally named Nicolas Herman – was a friar in France who worked in the 1600s. Brother Lawrence’s teachings focused on encouraging his students to seek out the presence of God in the everyday. Through living a life of obedience, humility, and piety, Lawrence posits that humans are able to interact and live in communion with God. This work is one of the earliest Christian texts that proclaims the value of experiencing the presence of God through living an ordinary life. Living ordinarily leaves the mind open to interacting with God’s presence, and allows people to be in constant reflection and prayer at all times. Whether “ordinary” is completing household chores, eating quiet dinners, acting gracefully in difficult circumstances, Brother Lawrence holds that practicing daily thoughtful living is how humans can commune with the divine. Commended for its simplicity and for the earnest beliefs of the author, The Practice and Presence of God is a great read for Christians wanting to learn how find God in the everyday.