Brother Lawrence encouraged others: “Furthermore, we know we can do anything with God’s grace, and he never refuses it to those who earnestly ask him for it. Knock at his door, keep knocking, and I tell you that he will open to you in his time if you do not give up, and that he…

Brother Lawrence wrote, “I did not ask for relief but for the strength to suffer courageously, humbly, and lovingly. . . . Ah, how sweet it is to suffer with God! No matter how great the pain is, accept it with love, for suffering is a paradise as long as we are with him. ….

Brother Lawrence wrote to a friend, “It hurts me to see you suffer for such a long time. . . . I think you should give up all human remedies and abandon yourself completely to divine providence; perhaps God is only waiting for this abandonment and for a perfect trust in him to cure you….

Lift up a great shout of joy to the Lord! Go ahead and do it—everyone, everywhere! As you serve him, be glad and worship him. Sing your way into his presence with joy! And realize what this really means— we have the privilege of worshiping the Lord our God. For he is our Creator and…

Brother Lawrence discusses the discipline of practicing God’s presence: “But when we faithfully keep ourselves in his holy presence, seeing him always before us, not only avoiding offending or displeasing him – at least deliberately – but considering him in this fashion, we take the liberty to ask him for the graces we need. So,…

Brother Lawrence reviews and summarizes how he learned to practice God’s presence: “This led me to resolve to give all for all. Thus, after offering myself entirely to God in atonement for my sins, I renounced for the sake of his love everything other than God, and I began to live as if only he…

Brother Lawrence wrote, “Consider illnesses . . . as coming from the hand of God, as signs of his mercy. . . . I wish you were convinced that God is often closer to us in times of sickness and suffering than when we enjoy perfect health. Seek no other doctor but him. If we…

In a letter, Brother Lawrence wrote, “I will not ask God to deliver you from your trials, but I will ask him earnestly to give you the patience and strength needed to suffer as long as he desires. . . . Get used to suffering, and ask him for the strength to suffer as he…

Brother Lawrence wrote about God as a Friend: “We cannot have too much trust in so good and faithful a friend, who will never fail us in this world or the next. He is always near you and with you; do not leave him alone. You would consider it rude to leave a friend who…

Brother Lawrence wrote in a letter: “If you could . . . concern yourself only with God, you would win a great victory! God does not ask a great deal of us: a brief remembrance from time to time, a brief act of adoration, occasionally to ask him for his grace or offer him your…