It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God. Brother Lawrence More Quotes by Brother Lawrence More Quotes From Brother Lawrence One way to recollect the mind easily in the time of prayer, and preserve it more in tranquillity, is not to let it wander too far at other times. You should keep it strictly in the presence of God; and being accustomed to think of Him often, you will find it easy to keep your mind calm in the time of prayer, or at least to recall it from its wanderings. Brother Lawrence presence-of-mind prayer thinking That we ought, once for all, heartily to put our whole trust in GOD, and make a total surrender of ourselves to Him, secure that He would not deceive us. Brother Lawrence trust-in-god surrender deceiving That we ought to give ourselves up to GOD, with regard both to things temporal and spiritual, and seek our satisfaction only in the fulfilling of His will, whether He lead us by suffering or by consolation, for all would be equal to a soul truly resigned Brother Lawrence soul spiritual giving I desire only Him and to be wholly His. Brother Lawrence worship desire God always gave us light in our doubts, when we had no other design but to please Him. Brother Lawrence design light doubt Our only business is to love and delight ourselves in God. Brother Lawrence delight Are we not rude and deserve blame, if we leave Him alone, to busy ourselves about trifles, which do not please Him and perhaps offend Him? 'Tis to be feared these trifles will one day cost us dear. Brother Lawrence rude cost one-day To worship God is to admit that we are entirely contrary to Him, and that He is willing to make us like Himself. Brother Lawrence worship-music worship-god willing That we should establish ourselves in a sense of GOD’s Presence, by continually conversing with Him. That it was a shameful thing to quit His conversation, to think of trifles and fooleries. Brother Lawrence quitting should thinking O my God, since thou art with me, and i must now, in obedience to thy commands, apply my mind to these outward things, i beseech thee to grant me the grace to continue in thy presence; and to this end do thou prosper me with thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections." (Bro. Lawrence implored His grace and offered to Him all his actions). Brother Lawrence grace mind art Men invent means and methods of coming at God''s love, they learn rules and set up devices to remind them of that love, and it seems like a world of trouble to bring oneself into the consciousness of God''s presence. Yet it might be so simple. Is it not quicker and easier just to do our common business wholly for the love of him? Brother Lawrence simple men mean If I were to be responsible for guiding souls, I would urge everyone to be aware of God's constant presence, if for no other reason than His presence is a delight to our souls and spirit. Brother Lawrence delight soul live-in-the-moment Let all our employment be to know GOD: the more one knows Him, the more one desires to know Him. And as knowledge is commonly the measure of love, the deeper and more extensive our knowledge shall be, the greater will be our love: and if our love of GOD were great, we should love Him equally in pains and pleasures. Brother Lawrence employment pain desire That there needed neither art nor science for going to GOD, but only a heart resolutely determined to apply itself to nothing but Him, or for His sake, and to love Him only. Brother Lawrence determined sake art That in the winter, seeing a tree stripped of its leaves, and considering that within a little time, the leaves would be renewed, and after that the flowers and fruit appear, he received a high view of the Providence and Power of GOD, which has never since been effaced from his soul. That this view had perfectly set him loose from the world, and kindled in him such a love for GOD, that he could not tell whether it had increased in above forty years that he had lived since. Brother Lawrence flower views winter Many do not advance in Christian progress because they stick in penances and particular exercises, while they neglect the love of God, which is the end. Brother Lawrence progress christian exercise How happy we would be if we could find the treasure of which the Gospel speaks; all else would be as nothing. As it is boundless, the more you search for it the greater the riches you will find; let us search unceasingly and let us not stop until we have found it. Brother Lawrence riches treasure would-be We ought to seek God's assistance in our affairs just as they happen. Brother Lawrence affair ought happens 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. Brother Lawrence eternity worship perfect I began to live as if there were no one save God and me in the world. Brother Lawrence ifs world
