Practicing the Presence of God as Teens

I just finished reading The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.

                                                 
 I wasn't really expecting to get a whole lot out of it, but I was very wrong. God spoke to me in a very real way, showing me how important it is that I empty my heart of everything, except my desire for Him. There are some parts that really stood out to me, and have stayed with me since I finished the book. 

We ought, once and for all, heartily to put our whole trust in God, and make a total surrender of ourselves to Him.

I know for the right practice of it the heart must be empty of all other things, because God will possess the heart alone; and as He cannot possess it alone without emptying it of all besides, so neither can He act there, and do what He pleases, unless it be left vacant to Him.

This to me seems like an incredibly hard task. To empty my heart of all other things, so God alone can possess it, and do what He pleases. It is so hard for me to even pray, because my mind wanders a lot. I have found, talking out loud to God as if He were sitting in front of me, is the best way for me to pray. But if I'm listening to music, or being distracted, I need to rid myself of these distractions and focus solely on Him. I have to remove all desires and the want for pleasure from my mind, at that moment, so I am able to communicate with God, and let Him possess my heart.  

The following has stood out to me more than the others, and I think every Christian, not just teens, should want this as their testimony:

I walk before God simply, in faith, with humility and with love, and I apply myself diligently to do nothing or think nothing which may displease Him.

In my own life, I strongly desire and strive to never do anything or even think anything that would displease my Savior, but I sometimes fail. Peer pressure is a huge thing in a teen's life, even at a Christian school. It can be so hard not to go with the flow, not to do things just because they say it's okay. I have always been a follower, never thinking I was strong enough to be a leader. But since then, I have faced situations where I was forced to take a stand and be the leader I never thought I was capable of being. 

God has shown me what is right for my life, and what isn't. I go by His standards, not others. So if I need to say no to something, even though I get made fun of or hurt by cruel remarks, I know that I am doing what God requires of me, and that is all the motivation I need. 

Anyway, back to talking about the book :)    I highly recommend it for all teens and adults. It is a powerful yet simple book that can change your life.