Day 15: Continuing in God's Presence

When he began his tasks, he would speak to God with a childlike trust in Him: "O my God, since You are with me, and I now have to engage in these external tasks in obedience to Your commands, I beg You to grant me the grace to remain in Your presence. For this purpose, prosper me with Your assistance, accept all my efforts, and possess all my affections."

As he continued his work, he kept his informal conversation with his Creator, asking for His grace and dedicating all his actions to Him. When he finished, he would examine how well he had performed his duties; if well, he would thank God. If not, he would ask for forgiveness and, without becoming disheartened, he would refocus his mind and continue his practice of God's presence as if he had never strayed from it. "Thus," he said, "by picking myself up after my falls, and by frequently renewing my acts of faith and love, I have reached a state where it would be as hard for me not to think of God as it was initially to get used to doing so."