Fourth Conversation

He discoursed with me very frequently, and with great openness of heart concerning his manner of going to GOD, whereof some part is related already.

He often spoke with me openly about his way of going to GOD. Some of this has already been described.

He told me that all consists in one hearty renunciation of everything which we are sensible does not lead to GOD; that we might accustom ourselves to a continual conversation with Him, with freedom and in simplicity. That we need only to recognize GOD intimately present with us, to address ourselves to Him every moment, that we may beg His assistance for knowing His will in things doubtful, and for rightly performing those which we plainly see he requires of us, offering them to Him before we do them, and giving Him thanks when we have done.

He told me that everything consists in one wholehearted renunciation of everything we know does not lead to God. This allows us to grow used to a continual conversation with him, freely and simply. We need only recognize that God is close to us and speak to him at every moment. We can ask for his help to know his will when we are unsure. We can also ask for help to do what we clearly see he requires of us. We should offer these actions to him before we do them and thank him afterward.

That in this conversation with God, we are also employed in praising, adoring and loving Him incessantly, for His infinite goodness and perfection.

In this conversation with God, we also continually praise, worship, and love him for his infinite goodness and perfection.

That, without being discouraged on account of our sins, we should pray for His grace with a perfect confidence, as relying upon the infinite merits of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. That GOD never failed offering us His grace at each action; that he distinctly perceived it, and never failed of it, unless when his thoughts had wandered from a sense of GOD'S Presence, or he had forgotten to ask His assistance.

We should not be discouraged by our sins. Instead, we should pray for God's grace with complete confidence, relying on the infinite merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. God never failed to offer us his grace in everything we did. Brother Lawrence said he clearly felt this grace and never failed to receive it, unless his thoughts had wandered from God's presence or he had forgotten to ask for God's help.

That GOD always gave us light in our doubts, when we had no other design but ask to please Him.

God always gave us guidance in our doubts when our only purpose in asking was to please him.

That our sanctification did not depend upon changing our works, but in doing that for GOD's sake, which we commonly do for our own. That it was lamentable to see how many people mistook the means for the end, addicting themselves to certain works, which they performed very imperfectly, by reason of their human or selfish regards.

Our sanctification does not depend on changing what we do. It depends on doing for God what we usually do for ourselves. It is sad to see how many people mistake the means for the end. They devote themselves to certain tasks but do them very imperfectly because of human or selfish motives.

That the most excellent method he had found of going to GOD, was that of doing our common business without any view of pleasing men,¹ and (as far as we are capable) purely for the love of GOD.

He said the best way he had found to draw near to God was to do everyday work without trying to please people,¹ and, as far as possible, purely for the love of God.

That it was a great delusion to think that the times of prayer ought to differ from other times: that we are as strictly obliged to adhere to GOD by action in the time of action, as by prayer in the season of prayer.

It was a great delusion to think that times of prayer should be different from other times. We are just as obliged to remain close to God through our actions when we act as through prayer when we pray.

That his prayer was nothing else but a sense of the presence of GOD, his soul being at that time insensible to everything but Divine love: and that when the appointed times of prayer were past, he found no difference, because he still continued with GOD, praising and blessing Him with all his might, so that he passed his life in continual joy; yet hoped that GOD would give him somewhat to suffer, when he should grow stronger.

His prayer was simply an awareness of God's presence. At those times, his soul was aware of nothing but divine love. When the appointed times of prayer ended, he found no difference. He remained with God, praising and blessing him with all his might. So he lived in continual joy. Yet he hoped that God would give him something to suffer when he grew stronger.

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.

We should once and for all put our whole trust in God and surrender ourselves completely to him. We can be sure that he will not deceive us.

That 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. That we should not wonder if, in the beginning, we often failed in our endeavors, but that at last we should gain a habit, which will naturally produce its acts in us, without our care, and to our exceeding great delight.

We should not grow tired of doing small things for the love of God. He cares not about the size of the work, but about the love with which we do it. We should not be surprised if we often fail at first. Eventually, we will form a habit. It will naturally lead us to act without our having to think about it, and to our great delight.

That the whole substance of religion was faith, hope and charity; by the practice of which we become united to the will of GOD: that all besides is indifferent, and to be used as a means that we may arrive at our end, and be swallowed up therein, by faith and charity.

The whole of religion is faith, hope, and charity. By practicing them, we become united with the will of God. Everything else is secondary and should be used as a means to reach our goal and be swallowed up in it through faith and charity.

That all things are possible to him who believes—that they are less difficult to him who hopes—that they are more easy to him who loves, and still more easy to him who perseveres in the practice of these three virtues.

All things are possible for someone who believes. They are less difficult for someone who hopes. They are easier still for someone who loves. And they are even easier for someone who keeps practicing all three virtues.

That the end we ought to propose to ourselves is to become, in this life, the most perfect worshippers of GOD we can possibly be, as we hope to be through all eternity.

Our goal should be to worship God as perfectly as we can in this life. We hope to worship him perfectly for all eternity.

That when we enter upon the spiritual life, we should consider, and examine to the bottom, what we are. And then we should find ourselves worthy of all contempt, and not deserving indeed the name of Christians: subject to all kinds of misery and numberless accidents, which trouble us and cause perpetual vicissitudes in our health, in our humors, in our internal and external dispositions; in fine, persons whom GOD would humble by many pains and labors, as well within as without. After this we should not wonder that troubles, temptations, oppositions and contradictions happen to us from men. We ought, on the contrary, to submit ourselves to them, and bear them as long as GOD pleases, as things highly advantageous to us.

When we begin the spiritual life, we should carefully examine what we are, down to the very bottom. Then we will find ourselves worthy of complete contempt, not even deserving to be called Christians. We are subject to all kinds of misery and countless mishaps. These trouble us and cause constant changes in our health, moods, and inner and outward states. In short, we are people whom God would humble through many pains and labors, both inward and outward. Once we understand this, we should not be surprised by troubles, temptations, opposition, and contradiction from others. On the contrary, we should submit to them and endure them for as long as God pleases. They are highly beneficial to us.

That the greater perfection a soul aspires after, the more dependent it is upon Divine grace.

The more a soul strives for perfection, the more it depends on God’s grace.

²Being questioned by one of his own society (to whom he was obliged to open himself) by what means he had attained such an habitual sense of GOD, he told him that, since his first coming to the monastery, he had considered GOD as the end of all his thoughts and desires, as the mark to which they should tend, and in which they should terminate.

²A fellow member of his community asked how he had become habitually aware of God’s presence. Brother Lawrence was obliged to open his heart to him. He said that, since entering the monastery, he had made God the goal of all his thoughts and desires. They were to be directed toward God and find their fulfillment in him.

That in the beginning of his novitiate, he spent the hours appointed for private prayer in thinking of GOD, so as to convince his mind of, and to impress deeply upon his heart, the Divine existence, rather by devout sentiments, and submission to the lights of faith, than by studied reasonings and elaborate meditations. That by this short and sure method, he exercised himself in the knowledge and love of GOD, resolving to use his utmost endeavor to live, in a continual sense of His Presence, and if possible, never to forget Him more.

At the beginning of his novitiate, he spent the hours set aside for private prayer thinking about God. He sought to convince his mind and deeply impress on his heart that God exists. He did this through devout feelings and by accepting the guidance of faith, rather than through studied reasoning and elaborate meditation. Through this simple and reliable method, he practiced knowing and loving God. He resolved to do his utmost to live with a constant awareness of God’s presence and, if possible, never forget him again.

That when he had thus in prayer filled his mind with great sentiments of that infinite Being, he went to his work appointed in the kitchen (for he was cook to the society); there having first considered severally the things his office required, and when and how each thing was to be done, he spent all the intervals of his time, as well before as after his work, in prayer.

In prayer, he filled his mind with profound thoughts of God, the infinite being. Then he went to his assigned work in the kitchen. He was the cook for the community. There, he first considered each of his duties and when and how to do them. He spent all the intervals in his time, both before and after his work, in prayer.

That when he began his business, he said to GOD, with a filial trust in Him, "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."

When he began his work, he spoke to God with the trust of a child: "O my God, you are with me. I must now turn my mind to these outward tasks in obedience to your commands. Please give me the grace to remain in your presence. To that end, help me succeed, accept all my work, and possess all my affections."

As he proceeded in his work, he continued his familiar conversation with his Maker,—imploring His grace, and offering to Him all his actions.

As he worked, he continued his familiar conversation with his Maker. He asked for his grace and offered him all his actions.

When he had finished, he examined himself how he had discharged his duty; if he found well, he returned thanks to GOD; if otherwise, he asked pardon; and without being discouraged, he set his mind right again, and continued his exercise of the presence of GOD, as if he had never deviated from it. "Thus," said he, "by rising after my falls, and by frequently renewed acts of faith and love, I am come to a state wherein it would be as difficult for me not to think of GOD as it was at first to accustom myself to it."

When he finished, he examined how he had done his duty. If he found he had done it well, he thanked GOD. If not, he asked for forgiveness. Without becoming discouraged, he set his mind right again and continued practicing the presence of GOD, as if he had never strayed from it. "Thus," he said, "I rose after each fall and often renewed my faith and love. Now it would be as difficult for me not to think of GOD as it was at first to get used to thinking of him."

As brother Lawrence had found such an advantage in walking in the presence of GOD, it was natural for him to recommend it earnestly to others; but his example was a stronger inducement than any arguments he could propose. His very countenance was edifying, such a sweet and calm devotion appearing in it as could not but effect the beholders. And it was observed that in the greatest hurry of business in the kitchen, he still preserved his recollection and heavenly-mindedness. He was never hasty nor loitering, but did each thing in its season, with an even, uninterrupted composure and tranquility of spirit. "The time of business," said he, "does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess GOD in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament."

Brother Lawrence had found great benefit in living in the presence of God. So it was natural for him to urge others to do the same. But his example was more persuasive than any argument he could offer. Even his face was uplifting. It showed such gentle, calm devotion that it could not fail to affect those who saw him. People observed that even during the busiest times in the kitchen, he remained focused on God and heavenly things. He was never hurried or idle. He did everything at the right time, with steady, uninterrupted calm and peace of mind. "For me, the time of work is no different from the time of prayer," he said. "Even amid the noise and clatter of my kitchen, several people may be calling for different things at once. Yet I possess God in as much peace as if I were kneeling before the blessed sacrament."