In the 1600’s in France, Brother Lawrence, a lay brother in a Carmelite monastery, practiced and wrote about prayer. Essentially, he envisioned two kinds of prayer that are critical for our growth.
The first type we might call a “time” of prayer. At certain times during the day, the brothers in the monastery would stop what they were doing and devote themselves to prayer. This was common in Christendom. Even lay people would stop at certain times during the day and devote themselves to prayer. Today we would call this a “Quiet Time.”
If you don’t have a time of prayer, this is the place to start. Without a time during the day devoted to prayer, even if it’s just 5 or 10 minutes, you’ll never experience the depth and joy God desires to give you in your relationship with him. Do you have a time of prayer?
The second type of prayer we might call a “life” of prayer. Brother Lawrence hungered to be in contact with God even outside the formal times of prayer. So, he started letting some of the everyday occurrences of life the prompts for prayer. Washing dishes served as a prompt for prayer. Preparing a meal became a prompt for prayer. As he moved through his day, routine events triggered prayer and he moved from simply “times” of prayer to a “life” of prayer–engaging in conversation with God throughout the day.
Having a time of prayer is one of the most fundamental steps you can take in deepening your walk with God. But, if you truly desire depth and fruit with God, entering into a life of prayer will be critical. Learning to allow everyday events prompt ongoing conversation with God will enrich your intimacy with God in powerful ways.
