Today, I want to share with you a fifth tip that has helped me to remain constantly aware of the Lord's presence in my own life.
Don't judge yourself
Brother Lawrence taught me this. He taught me that when my thoughts start to wander and I sometimes completely forget that the Lord Himself is with me, I will not begin to feel guilty or scold myself about it.
No, he taught me to be gentle with myself about this. After all, I am busy learning and practicing how to be more and more aware that the Lord is always and constantly in and with me.
He also taught me how to just calmly return to my conversation with the Lord at such times and not immediately feel guilty or frustrated when this happens. Wanting to punish myself or feel guilty about this all the time serves no constructive purpose.
After all, the truth is that the Lord Himself does not judge me about this. Rather, through His Spirit in me, He is busy teaching me to talk to Him all the time and to be aware of Him.
After all, this is what the Bible says in many places about the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of God's children.
Just the other day, I was reading Romans 8 again about the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of God's children.
Isn't it remarkable that this passage on this subject begins precisely as follows:
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Do you hear? So stop trying to punish yourself all the time if you don't always do everything perfectly! Be merciful to yourself! God's grace is sufficient for you!
The Lord will never leave you or forsake you!
Therefore, says Rom. 8, it is precisely the work of God's Spirit in us to remind us that the Great God is our God and Father.
Hear it when it says:
“But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, because the Spirit of God dwells in you.
If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. Because Christ is in you, the Spirit gives life through righteousness, even though the body is dead because of sin. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
For the Spirit you received does not make you slaves to fear again; instead, you received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry out, “Abba!” This means Father.
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if we are children, then we are heirs. If we are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if we share in his sufferings, we will also share in his glory.”
So, relax! Just start over every time!