Helpful Words Regarding Keeping God Present in Our Work Today

Today we find some helpful words regarding keeping God present in our work today.

We've already addressed this many times. But the struggle to keep God present never seems to ease up. No matter how good our intentions, once a busy work day begins, we seem to turn our backs on God. Our mind is occupied with the task at hand.

But perhaps this isn't so bad, after all. Perhaps our focus should simply be on what we're tackling at the moment.

After all, we can't be praying constantly - as it seems we're taught we ought to do - and simultaneously give our best efforts on the job. Can we?

Well, yes and no. Maybe the no has to do with how we think of prayer. If we think prayer is always something vocal, or some formal interior recitation of words addressed to God, then, sure, we can't both work and pray at the same time.

But maybe we're thinking about this, or going about it the wrong way.

Rather than dwell on the subject, and perhaps create unnecessary confusion, here some words first from a good spiritual writer and then from a great saint that might help clear this up a bit:

The Spirit of Prayer
Fr. Raoul Plus, S.J. (1882-1958)

 

“God does not ask me to make continual acts of prayer, but to be always in the state of prayer. To make acts of prayer only would mean to perform one exercise after another in which my sole occupation would be to think of God. There can be no question of that: I would fail in the duties of my state. When I am at prayer, I must exert myself to occupy my thoughts with God. At other times my essential duty is not to think of God, but to execute my work as well as possible for the glory of God. That is living in the state of prayer, in the state of elevation toward God. I am united to Him, not by my memory but by my will. And if to do well what I am doing I must force myself not to think of God I need not hesitate. At prayer, I must think of God as perfectly as possible for it is the thought of God that excites love of God. Outside of prayer, it is not as important to think of God but to act for God. To do this I must make the good intention and not be disturbed if, seeking God alone in everything, I do not think of Him for some time. As I become more accustomed to the invisible world, the thought of God will become more familiar to me.”

 

True Prayer Is From the Heart
St. Gregory the Great (ca. 540-604)
 

“True prayer is not in the sound of the voice but in the desire of the heart; not our words but our desires give power to our cries in God’s hearing. If we ask for eternal life without desiring it from the bottom of our heart, our cry is a silence; but if without speaking we desire it from our heart – our very silence cries out.”