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Brother Lawrence, originally named John Lawrence, was a French Catholic monk known for his profound insights into everyday life and his faith in the presence of God. His life and thoughts have had a profound impact on posterity.

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All Prayer Ifs Soul Worship Presence Of God Should Littles Thinking Conversation Knows Practice Suffering Heart Giving God Love Joy Ought World Desire God

Famous Brother Lawrence Quotes

“When the mind, for want of being sufficiently reduced by recollection at our first engaging in devotion, has contracted certain bad habits of wandering and dissipation, they are difficult to overcome, and commonly draw us, even against our wills, to the things of the earth. I believe one remedy for this is to confess our faults, and to humble ourselves before God. I do not advise you to use multiplicity of words in prayer: many words and long discourses being often the occasions of wandering. Hold yourself in prayer before God, like a dumb or paralytic beggar at a rich man's gate. Let it be your business to keep your mind in the presence of the Lord. If it sometimes wander and withdraw itself from Him, do not much disquiet yourself for that: trouble and disquiet serve rather to distract the mind than to re-collect it: the will must bring it back in tranquility. If you persevere in this manner, God will have pity on you.”

Prayer Sin Meditation Worship Devotion Distraction Confession

Book:The Practice of the Presence of God

Source: The Practice of the Presence of God

“To worship God is to admit that we are entirely contrary to Him, and that He is willing to make us like Himself.”

Willing Worship Contrary Worship God Worship Music

Author:Brother Lawrence

“A little lifting of the heart suffices; a little remembrance of God, one act of inward worship are prayers which, however short, are nevertheless acceptable to God.”

Heart Littles Prayer Worship Acceptable Inward Nevertheless Remembrance Lifting

Author:Brother Lawrence

“The end we ought to propose to ourselves is to become, in this life, the most perfect worshipers of God we can possibly be, as we hope to be through all eternity.”

Ends Perfect Ought Worship Eternity This Life Propose

Book:The Practice of the Presence of God

Source: The Practice of the Presence of God

“GOD will not permit that a soul which desires to be devoted entirely to Him should take other pleasures than with Him: that is more than reasonable.”

Should Soul Desire Pleasure Worship Gods Will Reasonable Permit Devoted

Book:The Practice of the Presence of God

Source: The Practice of the Presence of God

“Do not always scrupulously confine yourself to certain rules, or particular forms of devotion, but act with a general confidence in GOD, with love and humility.”

Form Certain Humility Particular Worship Devotion Confidence In God

Book:The Practice of the Presence of God

Source: The Practice of the Presence of God

“God as we ought to worship Him. God is Spirit, so we must worship Him in spirit and truth, that is, by a humble and true adoration of spirit in the depth and center of our souls.”

Soul Spirit Ought Worship Depth Humble Adoration

Author:Brother Lawrence

“I drove away from my mind everything capable of spoiling the sense of the presence of God.... I just make it my business to persevere in His holy presence... My soul has had an habitual, silent, secret conversation with God.”

Mind Soul Prayer Secret Holy Conversation Worship Capable Silent My Soul Persevere Habitual Presence Of God Conversations With God

Author:Brother Lawrence

“To worship God in truth is further to admit that we are entirely contrary to Him, and that He is willing to make us like Himself if we desire it. Who will be so imprudent as to turn himself away, even for a moment, from the reverence, love, service and continual adoration which we most justly owe Him?”

Ifs Moments Desire Turns Willing Truth Is Worship Contrary Reverence Adoration Worship God

Author:Brother Lawrence

“To worship God in truth is to recognize Him for being who He is, and to recognize ourselves for what we are.”

Truth Is Worship Worship God

Author:Brother Lawrence

“In order to know God, we must often think of Him; and when we come to love Him, we shall then also think of Him often, for our heart will be with our treasure.”

Thinking Knows Heart Order Worship Treasure Knowing God

Book:The Practice of the Presence of God

Source: The Practice of the Presence of God

“I desire only Him and to be wholly His.”

Desire Worship

Book:The Practice of the Presence of God and The Spiritual Maxims

Source: The Practice of the Presence of God and The Spiritual Maxims

“What can God have that gives him greater satisfaction than that a thousand times a day all his creatures should thus pause to withdraw and worship him in the heart.”

Giving Should Heart Christian Greater Thousand Creatures Worship Satisfaction Christian Inspirational Pauses

Author:Brother Lawrence

“We can do little things for God; I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king.”

Ifs Littles Done Turns Given Can Do Grace Kings Worship Call Me Little Things Cake Frying

Book:The Practice of the Presence of God, and the Spiritual Maxims

Source: The Practice of the Presence of God, and the Spiritual Maxims