Brother Lawrence Quotes - Page 2

Let us think often that our only business in this life is to please God. Perhaps all besides is but folly and vanity.

I did not pray for any relief, but I prayed for strength to suffer with courage, humility and love.

Good when He gives, supremely good; Nor less when He denies: Afflictions, from His sovereign hand, Are blessings in disguise.

The world appears very little to a soul that contemplates the greatness of God.

Emptiness is that which frees us from religiosity and leads us to true spirituality.

Believe me, count as lost each day you have not used in loving God.

We ought to act with God in the greatest simplicity, speak to Him frankly and plainly, and implore His assistance in our affairs.

Were I a preacher, I should preach above all other things, the practice of the Presence of God.... Those who have the gale of the Holy Spirit go forward, even in sleep.

Think often on God, by day, by night, in your business and even in your diversions. He is always near you and with you; leave him not alone.

In order to form a habit of conversing with GOD continually, and referring all we do to Him, we must at first apply to Him with some diligence: but that after a little care we should find His love inwardly excite us to it without any difficulty.

People seek methods of learning to know God. Is it not much shorter and more direct to simply do everything for the love of Him? There is no finesse about it. One only has to do it generously and simply.

I began to live as if there were no one save God and me in the world.

Lord of all pots and pans and things make me a saint by getting meals and washing up the plates!

Let us fear to leave Him. Let us be always with Him. Let us live and die in His presence.

Our only business is to love and delight ourselves in God.

The more we know Him, the more we will desire to know Him. As love increases with knowledge, the more we know God, the more we will truly love Him. We will learn to love Him equally in times of distress or in times of great joy.

You need not cry very loud; he is nearer to us than we think.

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.

In the way of God, thoughts count very little. Love does it all.

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.

I have quitted all forms of devotion and set prayers but those to which my state obliges me. And I make it my business only to persevere in His holy presence, wherein I keep myself by a simple attention, and a general fond regard to GOD, which I may call an actual presence of GOD, or, to speak better, an habitual, silent, and secret conversation of the soul with GOD, which often causes me joys and raptures inwardly, and sometimes also outwardly, so great that I am forced to use means to moderate them, and prevent their appearance to others.

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.

I desire only Him and to be wholly His.

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.

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