Practicing the Presence
Week 2 – Pray Continually
Practicing prayer throughout the day
Prayer Practice: Practicing the Presence
Day 11, Wednesday, January 14
“In him we live and move and have our being.” —Acts 17:28
God is omnipresent - a way of saying He’s infinitely present through all space and time and outside of time. As Jesus gave His Great Commission, He told the disciples (and us), “Truly I am with you always, even to the end of age.” Jesus Himself is always with us - our ever present help in time of need (and time when we aren’t aware of our need!). Yet so often we forget and lose our conscious awareness of God. Imagine that!
This practice was popularized by Brother Lawrence, a monk who spent much of his life working in a kitchen. He became known not because of dramatic spiritual experiences, but because he learned to remain intentional to train His mind to experience and maintain a constant awareness of God’s presence. Washing dishes became prayer. Walking became prayer. Work became prayer.
Brother Lawrence reminds us that God is not confined to quiet rooms or set hours. He is present in the kitchen, the office, the car, the classroom. The goal is not to feel spiritual all the time, but to gently return our attention to the God who is already with us. You won’t be able to do this on day 1… You’ll commit to being aware of God and before you know it, you’ll forget. This is a muscle we train - it’s not a crockpot, we can’t “set it and forget it.” Don’t be disappointed by your short attention span or inability to consistently stay aware of God - instead let it shape your humility and draw you back to Him in intimacy and purity of heart.
How to Practice
Begin by acknowledging God’s presence. You don’t need to stop what you’re doing. Simply turn your attention toward God while continuing your task. “You’re here with me… I’m here with you.”
If you forget, don’t be discouraged. Practicing the presence is not about constant awareness—it’s about repeated return.
Gentle Reminder
God’s presence is not something you have to create or earn. It is already given. Practicing the presence simply trains us to notice what is already true.
