Better known as Brother Lawrence, Nicholas Herman was by his own admission a clumsy oaf who struggled to do anything well. As a result he turned his attention to doing whatever he did in the conscious awareness of being in the presence of God.
The collection of his words and letters is entitled The Practise of the Presence of God and is one of the must have reads for the believer. (The best translation that I have found is that by E. M. Blaiklock and is readily available online).
Here is a brief quotation that I think summarises his attitude to this practise:
“What can God have that gives him greater satisfaction than that a thousand thousand times a day all his creatures should thus pause to withdraw and worship him in the heart.”
This simple, yet profound statement by a humble lay brother of the barefoot Carmelites, who is now closer to God than before, is well worth meditating on and applying to our daily lives. Better still, read the book, it’s simple, honest and will be a real source of blessing.