Letters and remarks from Brother Lawrence (2)

This paragraph is from the chapter entitled "Eleventh Letter" in this book. This book was written or dictated about 1700, perhaps a bit later on in 1700's. The book originally appeared in French. The differences in writing style and grammar construction make it difficult to read compared to today's customs. However, read and read again. Perhaps you will be blessed as have many others. You can download the book from Gutenberg.org


I wish you could convince yourself that GOD is often (in some sense) nearer to us, and more effectually present with us, in sickness than in health. Rely upon no other Physician; for, according to my apprehension, He reserves your cure to Himself. Put, then, all your trust in Him, and you will soon find the effects of it in your recovery, which we often retard by putting greater confidence in physic than in GOD. Whatever remedies you make use of, they will succeed only so far as He permits. When pains come from GOD, He only can cure them. He often sends diseases of the body to cure those of the soul. Comfort yourself with the sovereign Physician both of the soul and body. Be satisfied with the condition in which GOD places you: however happy you may think me, I envy you. Pains and sufferings would be a paradise to me while I should suffer with my GOD; and the greatest pleasures would be hell to me if I could relish them without Him. All my consolation would be to suffer something for His sake.

Brother of the Resurrection Lawrence. The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life

Letters and remarks from Brother Lawrence

ELEVENTH LETTER.

This is paragraph one from the chapter entitled "Eleventh Letter" from in this book. This book was written or dictated about 1700 perhaps a bit later on in 1700's. The book originally appeared in French. The differences in writing style and grammar construction make it difficult to read compared to today's customs. However, read and read again. Perhaps you will be blessed as have many others. You can download the book from Gutenberg.org

"I do not pray that you may be delivered from your pains, but I pray GOD earnestly that He would give you strength and patience to bear them as long as He pleases. Comfort yourself with Him who holds you fastened to the cross. He will loose you when He thinks fit. Happy those who suffer with Him: accustom yourself to suffer in that manner, and seek from Him the strength to endure as much, and as long, as He shall judge to be necessary for you. The men of the world do not comprehend these truths, nor is it to be wondered at, since they suffer like what they are, and not like Christians. They consider sickness as a pain to nature, and not as a favor from GOD; and seeing it only in that light, they find nothing in it but grief and distress. But those who consider sickness as coming from the hand of GOD, as the effect of His mercy, and the means which He employs for their salvation—such, commonly find in it great sweetness and sensible consolation."

Brother of the Resurrection Lawrence. The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life.

Reflections On His Word

Spiritual Light In The Darkness Of Pain

John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

The Darkness Is Dispelled By The Light

John 1:9 "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world."

Our Hope In Suffering

John 14:28 "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I."

Peace In Suffering
No Turmoil In Pain
Pain We Can Manage
Turmoil Manages Us But We Can Manage The Turmoil
Physical Pain Is Soothed By Peace
No Anxiety

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give_you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

You are not alone in suffering
God brings comfort and help

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--"

1 PET 4:1 "THEREFORE, SINCE CHRIST SUFFERED IN HIS BODY, ARM YOURSELVES ALSO WITH THE SAME ATTITUDE, BECAUSE HE WHO HAS SUFFERED IN HIS BODY IS DONE WITH SIN."

Satan tempted Jesus but Jesus refused to give in to temptation. The sin of the world was brought into the world by Satan. Christ suffered on the cross and paid for our sinful mistakes. Christ came back from death to give us an opportunity to live forever. Although Christ came back from the tomb, Christ still had His wounds. The pain Christ suffered on the Cross had been overcome by Him, but the healed wounds of Christ remained. Because He won, we can win in the battle against pain and suffering. In your own battle against pain and suffering, be positive, don't let down or give up. Don't let go of the Light of God. Grasp Christ's hope and power and hang on. Through Jesus, we have the power to hang on, even when we hurt, even when we have failed and faltered. The greatest miracle of all is this: We have the power to hang on, in spite of the pain. We have the power to stand firm against overwhelming obstacles. We have the power to come back. If Satan has his way you will let go and give up. If Satan has His way, you will walk away from Christ. The power to hang on and hang in is power for us. The power of God works in ways we do not always understand. The power of God manifests itself in mysterious ways we find hard to grasp. If you were well and not in pain, where would you be? If you were not disabled or down, where would you be? God did not want the pain for you. God did not will you to have the pain. However, since the pain or causes of the pain happened, He has been leading you away from your pain toward Himself. Which direction will you walk? Will you be selfless in your love and devotion toward Christ or will you be selfish?

1 Pet 4:13 "But Rejoice That You Participate In The Sufferings Of Christ, So That You May Be Overjoyed When His Glory Is Revealed."

Human beings suffer pain. Pain entered the world when Satan invaded the Garden of Eden. The purpose of Satan and the pain Satan brings has no purpose but to pull us away from God. We must also understand pain will end when we see Jesus in Heaven or upon the earth. However, what do we do now? What do we do until we see Christ face to face? When we are in pain, we must do what seems impossible. When we are in pain we must pray. In pain, we may not pray with any kind of godly force. In pain, our prayer may only be a faint whisper. In pain, we may pray in consuming doubt filling us with darkness of the soul. Yet, we must pray on, and on, and on every hour. Even in pain, we must exert every ounce of our soul to love Christ and love others.

We must show others and show Christ our love for them is undying. Even to our last breath, we must pray and we must love.

1 PET 2:24 HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE TREE, SO THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SINS AND LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS; BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED.

Perhaps you are thinking, "I keep praying, but I am still hurting and wounded. I am still in darkness. Why do I still hurt?" You are till hurting because within you there is another kind of healing. There is another life within you besides your physical life. Within you there is another healing going on. Because we hurt in our bodies, we are still able to be free of suffering not to hurt in spirit. In our pain-filled existence we must learn to endure. Even when we hurt so much, even when we want to give up because we can't take the pain anymore, we have to hang tough. We can win the ultimate victory but we cannot win the ultimate victory giving in or giving up. We are undergoing the process of regeneration in spirit. Painful as it is, we are made alive by the spirit. We can be filled with the spirit making our suffering less severe and less profound. We can be filled with the spirit bringing us light and love. We can be filled with love making our hurt go away. Jesus came to earth to let us know we need not have to suffer by ourselves. Although Satan attacks us, attempting to break us down, continually afflicting us, and incessantly trying to take the light from our eyes, we can still be alive in our heart and soul because Christ is living within us this very moment.

JAMES 5:10 "BROTHERS, AS AN EXAMPLE OF PATIENCE IN THE FACE OF SUFFERING, TAKE THE PROPHETS WHO SPOKE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD."

Patience is something in short supply when we suffer. We do not like suffering. We do not want it. We ask how long, O Lord, how long? The Old Testament prophets knew about suffering. They knew what it was like to have a god who was silent most of the time, to have a god who chose not to relieve suffering. The prophets agonized as we do. However, they were patient, as we must be patient. For their patience they were rewarded. Christ's came to be an example to us when we are in suffering. Christ freely chose to suffer for us until His mission on the cross was completed. Christ had the freedom to reject the cross and reject the suffering. He chose to go ahead and live through the pain so we would have a chance to live forever in glory with Him. You must also choose to live through the pain. Christ did not give up. Christ knows what physical pain is all about. He knows what depression is all about. He knows what it means to feel forsaken and alone. Christ knows what it means to be beaten and abused. He knows what it feels like to be rejected and scorned. Christ chose to go through all these things so we can persevere when we are in pain.