The Practice of the Presence of God

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Explore how a high esteem for God and faithful surrender form the true foundation of spiritual life. Learn to keep your heart focused on God's love, trust Him through life's challenges, and find true joy in daily practices of His presence.

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[00:00:01] Bryan Entzminger:

Third conversation he told me that the   foundation of the spiritual life in him had been   a high notion and esteem of God in faith which when he   had once well conceived, he had no other care at first, but   faithfully to reject every other thought that he might   perform all his actions for the love of God that   when sometimes he had not thought of God for a good while, he did   not disquiet himself for it but after having acknowledged his   wretchedness to God, he returned to him with so much the   greater trust in him, as he had found himself wretched through forgetting   him that the trust we put in God   honours him much, and draws down great graces   that it was impossible not only that God should deceive, but   also that he should long let a soul suffer which is perfectly   resigned to him, and and resolved to endure everything for his   sake that he had so often   experienced the ready succors of Divine grace upon   all occasions that from the same experience when he   had business to do, he did not think of it beforehand but when   it was time to do it, he found in God, as in a clean   mirror, all that was fit for him to do that of late he   had acted thus without anticipating care but before the   experience above mentioned, he he had used it in his affairs,   when outward business diverted him a little from the thought of God,   a fresh remembrance coming from God invested his soul, and so   inflamed and transported him, that it was difficult for him to contain   himself that he was more united to   God in his outward employments, than when he left them for   devotion in retirement that he expected   hereafter some great pain of body or mind that the worst   that could happen to him was to lose that sense of God which he   had enjoyed so long but that the goodness of God assured him   he would not forsake him utterly, and that he would give him strength   to bear whatever evil he permitted to happen to him and   therefore that he feared nothing, and had no   occasion to consult with anybody about his state   that when he had attempted to do it, he had always come away   more perplexed than and that as he was conscious of his readiness   to lay down his life for the love of God, he had no   apprehension of danger that perfect resignation   to God was a sure way to heaven a way in which he   had always sufficient light for our conduct that   in the beginning of spiritual life we ought to be faithful in doing our   duty, and denying ourselves but after that unspeakable   pleasures followed that in difficulties we need only   have recourse to Jesus Christ, and beg his grace   with that everything became easy that   many do not advance in the Christian progress, because they stick in   penances and particular exercises, while   they neglect the love of God, which is the end.  

That this appeared plainly by their works, and was the reason   why we see so little virtue, that there   needed neither art nor science for going to God, but only   a heart resolutely determined to apply itself to   nothing but him, or for his sake, and to   love him only.