The Practice of the Presence of God

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Brother Lawrence offers spiritual guidance on enduring suffering through faith and surrender to God's providence. He highlights the importance of trusting God's love for strength to endure pain and seeking comfort in divine presence instead of worldly solutions.

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[00:00:01] Bryan Entzminger:

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 griefs, is that   they are proofs of God's love towards 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 who 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   more infinitely than we can imagine. Love him, then, and   seek no consolation elsewhere. I hope you will soon   receive it. Adieu. I will help you with my prayers,   poor as they are and shall always be in our Lord. Yours and   the rest.