Learning to practice God’s presence continually is one of the primary keys to knowing God deeply. Yet for many Christians, this subject is either neglected, misunderstood, or made to feel more complicated than it needs to be.
We created a free guide to help you begin practicing God’s presence throughout the day in simple, practical ways.
As I have continued to study this topic, I came across Frank Laubach, a missionary to the Philippines in the 1930s. Laubach developed some unique and practical ways to help people grow in practicing God’s presence throughout the day and form the habit of continuous conscious contact with God.
Like Brother Lawrence before him, Frank Laubach longed to live in continual fellowship with God.
He began experimenting with simple ways to keep his heart turned toward God in daily life. He talked to God while working, traveling, cooking, thinking, and interacting with people.
One of his most well-known exercises became known as “The Game of Minutes.”
What Is the Game of Minutes?
Laubach described the practice this way:
“Take an hour and see if you can think of God at least one second of every minute. Your score will be low at first, but keep trying, for it constantly becomes easier, and after a while is almost automatic.”
The goal is simple: try to remember God at least once every minute.
It can be just a thought of Him, a word of love, a prayer for someone, asking for grace, or simply giving thanks.
This may sound too basic at first. But the practice is powerful because it trains the heart to return to God again and again. Over time, what begins as intentional effort can become a natural rhythm of abiding prayer.
The purpose is not to perform perfectly. The purpose is to keep turning your attention back to the Lord.
Why Practice God’s Presence?
Many Christians long to feel closer to God, but they are not always sure how to experience His presence consistently. We may spend time with God in the morning, but then lose awareness of Him as the pressures of the day begin.
Practicing God’s presence helps us bring prayer into all of life.
Instead of prayer being limited to a quiet time, it becomes a way of walking with God. We begin to talk with Him, listen for Him, and remain aware of His nearness in ordinary moments.
This is how deeper relationship with God is formed — not only through occasional spiritual experiences, but through the repeated turning of the heart toward Him.
Simple Ways to Practice God’s Presence
Frank Laubach gave many practical examples of how to remember God throughout the day. These exercises are simple, but they help train the soul to live in fellowship with Him.
1. Talk to God While You Work
If you are working on a project, talk to God through each step.
Ask Him for wisdom. Tell Him what you are doing. Invite Him into the decisions, the details, and the difficulties.
Instead of carrying the work alone, learn to do it with Him.
2. Talk to God While Cooking or Doing Chores
If you are cooking dinner, cleaning the house, or doing ordinary tasks, tell God about it as you go.
These small moments are not spiritually insignificant. They can become places of fellowship.
A sink full of dishes, a meal being prepared, or a task you do every day can become an opportunity to practice God’s presence.
3. Pray for People Who Cross Your Path
Laubach encouraged people to pray short prayers of blessing for those they encountered.
As you go through the day, pray for people you see — in person or online. You do not need to know their story. Simply turn your heart toward God on their behalf.
You might pray:
Lord Jesus, bless this person.
Father, let them know Your love.
Holy Spirit, draw them near to You.
This simple practice helps keep your heart awake to God and moved with love for others.
4. Imagine Jesus Beside You While Driving
While driving, imagine Jesus sitting in the passenger seat.
Talk to Him about where you are going, what is on your mind, and what you are feeling. Instead of letting your thoughts wander endlessly, turn the drive into conversation with Him.
Driving can become a quiet place of prayer.
5. Talk to God About Your Challenges
Laubach also taught that when we are thinking deeply about a problem, we can learn to include Christ in our thoughts.
When you are worried, confused, planning, or processing something, turn the inner conversation toward Him.
You might say:
Lord, what do You want me to see here?
Jesus, help me think clearly.
Father, I trust You with this.
This turns the mind toward prayer and helps us remain aware of God even in our thinking.
The Fruit of Practicing God’s Presence
Laubach described the joy and holiness that came from learning to live in fellowship with God. He wrote:
“I have tasted a thrill in fellowship with God which has made anything discordant with God disgusting.”
He also described seasons of deep joy in God’s presence:
“God was so close and so amazingly lovely that I felt like melting all over with a strange blissful contentment.”
For Laubach, practicing God’s presence was not merely a devotional technique. It became a way of being transformed by God.
He found that close friendship with God made sin lose its appeal. The more he tasted the joy of God’s presence, the more he wanted nothing that would pull him away from Him.
God Makes Us Holy as We Pray
One of the great benefits of practicing God’s presence is that prayer changes our desires.
We do not become holy merely by trying harder. We are changed as we turn our hearts again and again toward God.
As we live in fellowship with Him, His love begins to purify us. His nearness softens our hearts. His presence makes the things that once pulled us away from Him feel empty and unsatisfying.
Laubach described this beautifully when he said that after close friendship with God, his soul felt “as clean as new-fallen snow.”
This is one of the deep works of abiding prayer: God makes us holy by drawing us into Himself.
What Practicing God’s Presence Produces
As we learn to practice God’s presence, several things begin to happen:
We come to know the Holy Spirit more personally.
We become more aware of God throughout the day.
We grow in love for people.
We become more sensitive to anything that grieves the Lord.
We feel less rushed and anxious.
We begin to do ordinary things with God instead of apart from Him.
Laubach even said:
“I no longer feel in a hurry about anything.”
That is one of the beautiful fruits of living from God’s presence. We begin to move through life with a quieter soul, because we are no longer living alone.
Start Small
You do not need to begin with a full day of perfect awareness. Start with one hour.
Try the Game of Minutes. See whether you can remember God for at least one second of every minute.
Your attention will wander. That is normal. When it does, simply return to Him.
Say His name.
Whisper a prayer.
Tell Him you love Him.
Ask for His grace.
Then return again.
Over time, this simple practice can become a way of life.
Try It Today
Take one hour today and play the Game of Minutes.
Try to remember God for at least one second of every minute. When you forget, do not condemn yourself. Simply return to Him.
To help you get started, download the free prayer guide below.
Then leave a comment below and share how the practice went for you.