Brother Lawrence's The Practice of the Presence of God has had many editions (I'm referencing Whitaker House's 1982 edition) as it is considered a classic in Christian devotional literature. I've decided to give a little history on who Brother Lawrence was, before moving onto using his own words to describe his practice. Lawrence's practice is absolutely simple, which is perhaps why it is difficult to "practice."
Blessed be,
Joel
Nicholas Herman was born in 1611 (died in 1691) to peasant parents in Lorraine, France. When he came of age, he joined the armed forces (in part for a steady diet and a small stipend). An injury eventually brought him back to his parents home to recuperate, where he finally decided to devote his life to serving God. Consequently he entered the Carmelite Monastery in Paris as a lay-brother, taking the name Lawrence. During his time at the Monastery, he served in the kitchen calling himself the lord of the pots and pans.
I should note that joining the Monastery wasn't a sudden decision (he had already had "spiritual experiences," and spent time as a hermit in the desert). As Christianity Today notes in their Christian History section on Brother Lawrence:
During this period [of serving in the army], Herman had an experience that set him on a unique spiritual journey; it wasn't, characteristically, a supernatural vision, but a supernatural clarity into a common sight.Lawrence began practicing the presence of God by first cultivating a deep presence of God in his heart. This presence was maintained by love rather than understanding, speech or a fear of judgement.
In the deep of winter, Herman looked at a barren tree, stripped of leaves and fruit, waiting silently and patiently for the sure hope of summer abundance. Gazing at the tree, Herman grasped for the first time the extravagance of God's grace and the unfailing sovereignty of divine providence. Like the tree, he himself was seemingly dead, but God had life waiting for him, and the turn of seasons would bring fullness. At that moment, he said, that leafless tree "first flashed in upon my soul the fact of God," and a love for God that never after ceased to burn.
"In the way of God," he said, "thoughts count for little, love does everything."
"And it is not necessary," he continued, "to have great things to do. I turn my little omelette in the pan for the love of God; when it is finished, if I have nothing to do, I prostrate myself on the ground and adore my God, Who gave me the grace to make it, after which I arise, more content than a king. When I cannot do anything else, it is enough for me to have lifted a straw from the earth for the love of God.
"People seek for methods of learning to love God. They hope to arrive at it by I know not how many different practices; they take much trouble to remain in the presence of God in a quantity of ways. Is it not much shorter and more direct to do everything for the love of God, to make use of all the labors of one's state in life to show Him [sic.] that love, and to maintain His presence within us by this communion of our hearts with His? There is no finesse about it; one has only to do it generously and simply." (p. 81) ...
"During my work, I would always continue to speak to the Lord as though He were right with me, offering Him my services and thanking Him for His assistance. And at the end of my work, I used to examine it carefully. If I found good in it, I thanked God. If I noticed faults, I asked His forgiveness without being discouraged, and then went on with my work, still dwelling in Him.
"Thus, continuing in this practice of conversing with God throughout each day, and quickly seeking His forgiveness when I fell or strayed, His presence has become as easy and natural to me now as it once was difficult to attain." (p.82-3)
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