Living Free Today

The Practice of the Presence of God is a spiritual classic from the 17th. century.  It records the practice of a French monk, Br. Lawrence of the Resurrection.  For nearly 40 years he lived mindful of the presence of God in each moment.  How did he cultivate this mindfulness?

It was observed

That when he had failed in his duty, he simply confessed his fault, saying to God, I shall never do otherwise if Thou leavest me to myself; it is Thou who must hinder my falling, and mend what is amiss.  That after this he gave himself no further uneasiness about it.

Br. Lawrence didn't carry the burden of guilt.  He quickly acknowledged his faults, made amends, and moved on.  Free from the weight of the past, he was open to God in the present moment.

Furthermore, it was noted

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 . . . and, (as far as we are capable) purely for the love of God.

Br. Lawrence knew that comparison is the death of joy.  His focus was on acting from a place of conscious contact with God, rather than worrying about what others thought of him (or what he thought of them!). His every action became a prayer in so far as it gave expression to his love of God.  He saw himself and others through the eyes of God.

Do you want to live free today?  Entrust your faults to God's forgiveness, then let it go.  Lean back into your love for God - and all things in God - and stop worrying about what other people think.  Move through the business of the day mindful of that love, and even the most mundane task can be suffused with the presence of God.