The Joys and Challenges of a Solitary Life

[Therese]

Oh! That is an indulged prayer!
What a nice thread those would make.

God Bless You, Therese!

Yes, it's indulgenced, Whiterockdove.  God bless you too!

[Therese]

I truly love this little book!  Bro. Lawrence knows the importance of not only knowing God and loving Him, but of serving Him.  How can a person really love God without serving Him?  Some people would like to contemplate God all day, but contemplation combined with loving acts done for His sake would be more meritorious.  Just making an oblation or a sacrifice and offering it up to God in union with His Son's sufferings, for souls, is service.  Prayer mixed with acts of oblation or sacrifice is very pleasing to God and the way to go.

[whiterockdove]

Here's an aspiration for today;


Draw us after Thee, Holy Mother!

Thanks Therese,  may God bless you!

[Therese]

You are welcome, Whiterockdove!  God bless you too!

[whiterockdove]

I apologize for the lateness, i would have had the aspiration for today be;

St. Michael, The  Archangel of God, defend us in battle! 


The Practice of The Presence of God

Tenth Letter;

     I have had a great deal of difficulty to bring myself to write to Mr.---, and  I do it now purely  because you and Madam ---desire me. Pray write the directions and send it to him. I am very well pleased with the trust which you have in GOD: I wish that He may increase it in you more and more. We cannot have too much in so good and faithful a Friend, who will never fail us in this world nor in the next.
     If Mr.---makes his advantage of the loss he has had, and puts all his confidence in GOD, He will soon give him another friend, more powerful and more inclined to serve him. He disposes of hearts as He pleases. Perhaps Mr.-- was too much attached to him he has lost. We ought to love our friends, but without encroaching upon the love due to GOD, which must be the principal.
     Pray remember what I have recommended to you, which is, to 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. You would think it rude to leave a friend alone who came to visit you: why then must GOD be neglected? Do not then forget Him, but think on Him often, adore Him continually, live and die with Him; this is the glorious employment of a Christian. In a word, this is our profession; if we do not know it, we must learn it. I will endeavor to help you with my prayers, and am, in our LORD, Yours &c.

[Shin]

Too much attached to him, yes we must give over all to God. . . See all for God's sake. . .

[whiterockdove]

The Practice of The Presence of God

Eleventh Letter;

     I do not pray that you may be delivered from your pains, but I pray GOD earnestly that He would give you strength and  patience to bear them as long as He pleases. Comfort yourself with Him who holds you fastened to the cross. He will loose you when He thinks fit. Happy those who suffer with Him: accustom yourself to suffer in that manner, and seek from Him the strength to endure as much, and as long, as He shall judge to be necessary for you. The men of the world do not comprehend these truths, nor is it to be wondered at, since they suffer like what they are, and not like Christians. The consider sickness as a pain to nature, and not as a favor from GOD; and seeing it only in that light, they find nothing in it but grief and distress. But those who consider sickness as coming from the hand of GOD, as the effect of His mercy, and the means which He employs for their salvation--such, commonly find in it great sweetness and sensible consolation.
     I wish you could convince yourself that GOD is often (in some sense) nearer to us, and more effectually present with us, in sickness than in health. Rely upon no other Physician; for, according to my apprehension, He reserves your cure to Himself, Put, then, all your trust in Him, and you will soon find the effects of it in your recovery, which we often retard by putting greater confidence in physic than in GOD.
          Whatever remedies you make use of, they will succees only so far as He permits. When pains come from GOD, He only can cure them, He often sends disease of the body to cure those of the Soul. Comfort yourself with the sovereign Physician both of the soul and body.
     Be satisfied with the condition in which GOD places you: however happy you may think me, I envy you. Pains and sufferings would be a paradise to me while I should suffer with my GOD; and the greatest pleasures would be hell to me if I could relish them without Him. All my consolation would be to suffer something for his sake.
     I must, in a little time, go to GOD. What comforts me in this life is, that I now see Him by faith; and I see Him in such a manner as might make me say sometimes, I believe no more, but I see. I feel what faith teaches us, and in that assurance and that practice of faith, I will live and die with Him.
     Continue then always with GOD: it is the only support and comfort for your affliction, I shall beseech Him to be with you. I present my service.
Yours, &c.

[Shin]

  I do not pray that you may be delivered from your pains, but I pray GOD earnestly that He would give you strength and  patience to bear them as long as He pleases

There have been times in my life when I have been pained, and prayed for relief, and not finding it, then prayed to suffer it well, and found it.. though the relief was a bit different than one might expect.

I think this is a very important kind of prayer.

[whiterockdove]

The Practice of The Presence of God

Twelfth Letter;

     If we were well accustomed to the exercise of the presence of GOD, all bodily diseases would be alleviated thereby. GOD often permits that we should suffer a little to purify our souls and oblige us to continue with Him.
     Take courage: offer Him your pains incessantly: pray to Him for strength to endure them. Above all, get a habit of entertaining yourself often with GOD, and forget Him the least you can. Adore Him in your infirmities, offer yourself to Him from time to time and in the height of your sufferings, beseech Him humbly and affectionately (as a child his father) to make you conformable to His holy-will. I shall endeavor to assist you with my poor prayers.
     GOD has many ways of drawing us to Himself. He sometimes hides Himself from us, but faith alone, which will not fail us in time of need, ought to be our support, and the foundation of our confidence, which must be all in GOD.
     I know not how GOD will dispose of me. I am always happy. All the world suffer; and I, who deserve the severest discipline, feel joys so continual and so great that I can scarcely contain them..
     I would willingly ask of GOD a part of your sufferings, but I know my weakness, which is so great, that if He left me one moment to myself I should be the most wretched man alive. And yet I know not how He can leave me alone, because faith gives me as strong a conviction as sense can do, that He never forsakes us until we have first forsaken Him. Let us fear to leave Him. Let us be always with Him. Let us love and die in His presence. Do you pray for me, as I for you.
I am, Yours, &c.

[whiterockdove]

Here is an aspiration for the day, ( Tuesday Oct. 13th)

"Fear not, little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a Kingdom"
 (Luke 12:32)

[Shin]

Here is an aspiration for the day, ( Tuesday Oct. 13th)

"Fear not, little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a Kingdom"
 (Luke 12:32)

I find this aspiration really inspiring!

[whiterockdove]

The Practice of The Presence of God

Thirteenth Letter;

To the Same.
     I am in pain to see you suffer so long. What gives me some ease and sweetens the feelings I have for your grief is, that they are proofs of GOD's love toward you. See them in that view and you will bear them more easily. As your case is, it is my opinion that you should leave off human remedies, and resign yourself entirely to the providence of GOD: perhaps He stays only for that resignation and a perfect trust in Him to cure you. Since, notwithstanding all your cares, physic has hitherto proved unsuccessful, and your malady still increases, it will not be tempting GOD to abandon yourself in His hands, and expect all from Him.
     I told you in my last that He sometimes permits bodily diseases to cure the distempers of the soul. Have courage then: make a virtue of necessity. Ask of GOD, not deliverance from your pains, but strength to bear resolutely, for the love of Him, all that He should please, and as long as He shall please.
     Such prayers, indeed, are a little hard to nature, but most acceptable to GOD, and sweet to those that love Him. Love sweetens pains; and when one loves GOD, one suffers for His sake with joy and courage. Do you so, I beseech you: comfort yourself with Him, who is the only Physician of all our maladies. He is the FATHER of the afflicted, always ready to help us, He loves us infinitely more than we imagine. Love Him, then, and seek no consolation elsewhere. I will help you with my prayers, poor as they are, and shall always be,
in our LORD Yours, &c.

[whiterockdove]

Here's an aspiration for today;

 Sweet Heart of Mary,
be my salvation!

[whiterockdove]

Here's an aspiration for today;


Return to me
And I will return to you,
Says The Lord of Hosts."

[Shin]

Amen amen!

Holy resignation to God's will!

The secret to relief, peace and happiness!

[whiterockdove]

Here's an aspiration for Wed, Oct. 21st;

     "Let your heart hold fast to my words
  keep my commands, that you may live!"

Proverbs, Chapter 4


We're almost to the end of "The Practice of The Presence of God", just a few more chapters.  There are a few notations at the end of the last chapter,  The other chapters did not have any notes. 

The Practice of The Presence of God

Fourteenth Letter;

To the Same.
     I render thanks to our LORD for having relieved you a little, according to your desire. I have been often near expiring, but I never was so much satisfied as then. Accordingly, I did not pray for any  relief, but i prayed for strength to suffer with courage, humility and love. Ah, how sweet it is to suffer with GOD! However great the sufferings may be, receive them with love. It is paradise to suffer and be with Him; so that if in this life we would enjoy the peace of paradise we must accustom ourselves to a familiar, humble, affectionate conversation with Him. We must hinder our spirits wandering from Him upon any occasion. We must make our heart a spiritual temple, wherein to adore Him incessantly. We must watch continually over ourselves, that we may not do, nor say, nor think anything that may displease Him. When our minds are thus employed about GOD, suffering will become full of unction and consolation.
     I know that to arrive at this state the beginning is very difficult, for we must act purely in faith. But though it is difficult, we know also that we can do all things with the grace of GOD, which He never refuses to them who ask it earnestly. Knock, persevere in knocking, and I answer for it that He will open to you in His due time, and grant you all at once what He has deferred during many years. Adieu!  Pray to Him for me, as I pray to Him for you.
I hope to see him quickly.
I am, Yours,&c.