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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, Brother Lawrence received a high view of the Providence and Power of God, which has never been erased from his soul. —The Practice of the Presence of God
As we come to the end of our reflections, we must now stop and ask, “What can our everyday experience teach us about God?” We have looked around us and have seen traces of his greatness in the beauty of the earth, the glory of the heavens, the intricacies of our bodies, and the majesty of art and architecture. We have sensed his love in our deepest longings and in our families and friends. We have noted our likeness to him in the creativity of our work and in our hunger for justice.
We have contemplated the nearness of eternity in our present moments. We have seen God’s goodness overflow in acts of kindness and chances for fresh starts. We have celebrated his bringing good from evil in the relief of suffering and the granting of forgiveness.
We have remembered that God is speaking to us; that he has revealed himself to us in Scripture; that by looking at Jesus, we can see what the Father is like; that theology can nourish our mind and heart; and that the Eucharist nourishes our spirits. And we have realized that God still intervenes in our lives with miracles.
Finally, we have noticed all the ordinary ways that we communicate with God and become close to him—by listening, by conversing with him in prayer, by reading Scripture as his word to us, by considering what he wants of us, and by doing what he tells us.
By taking you through all of these considerations in this book, Bert and I wanted to raise your awareness of the many different ways that God is in touch with you. We hope that you will continue to reflect on your experiences in meeting God in ordinary daily ways.
We all should aspire to be like Brother Lawrence (c. 1605–1691), the Carmelite brother and mystic who, at age eighteen, encountered God by meditating on a barren tree in winter. As he reflected on the rebirth of the tree in spring, he was so deeply touched by God’s providence and power that he was forever changed. This ordinary encounter opened him to experience God’s presence daily for the rest of his life.
I invite you to set your spiritual antenna to pick up all the signals that communicate God’s presence to you. The Lord taught us in Scripture how to stay alert to his nearness and his concern for us. “Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on God’s saving justice, and all these other things will be given you as well” (Matthew 6:33, NJB). Deciding or renewing your decision to put God first in your life will make you receptive to him in everyday circumstances. That’s how you can activate your spiritual antenna to receive the flow of God’s communications to you.
I also suggest that you take some time, perhaps in the evening just before bedtime, to reflect on your day and ask questions like these: “In what ways did I sense God’s presence today? Was I in tune with his voice?” Encountering God in our experiences brings us great benefits. It makes us more receptive to his graces as well as more grateful for them. And attentiveness to his presence calls us to a more meaningful observance of our faith and a more faithful exercise of our discipleship.
The first biographer of Brother Lawrence summed up the saint’s work in a sentence that serves as a fitting conclusion to our considerations:
God is everywhere, in all places, and there is no spot where we cannot draw near to Him, and hear Him speaking in our heart; with a little love, just a very little, we shall not find it hard.
—Fr. Benedict
For Reflection:
When were you most aware of God’s presence today?
Click here to purchase “Everyday Encounters with God”.