#274: Practicing the Presence of God in our Writing - What we can learn from Brother Lawrence

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why</span> <strong>I take pleasure</strong> <span style= "font-weight: 400;">in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”</span> <span style= "font-weight: 400;">2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:8-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">God is creating weakness in our lives in order to drive us to Him. Our weaknesses are meant to create dependence upon Him alone. He’ll spend decades cultivating weakness in our lives. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is only one hero in this story we find ourselves and that hero is Jesus Christ </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brother Lawrence gives us a picture of almost pathetic weakness and dependence during his time as a cook and dishwasher for a monastery in the 1600s.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He was a great awkward fellow, who broke everything.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“When he had failed in his duty, he simply confessed his fault, saying to God, I shall never do otherwise if Thou leavest me to myself; ‘tis Thou must hinder my fallings, and mend what is amiss.’</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brother Lawrence was lame which made simple tasks much more difficult, including traveling to Burgundy to buy the provision of wine for the monastery. On many occasions, he could hardly remember how the task was accomplished except God helped him moment by moment. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He accustomed himself to do everything for the love of God, and with prayer, upon all occasions, for His grace to do his work well.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We ought not to be weary of doing little t