Arranging Things - Evelyn Underhill

1875–1941

As a mystic, Evelyn Underhill embraced the Bible as the living Word of God, something to be experienced, not just read. Mystics place an emphasis on having a spiritual relationship with God through intensely personal experiences.

Evelyn wrote extensively about mysticism. Her writings came not only from studying the practice through the ages, but also from her own mystical experiences. Early in her life, she wrote the classic Mysticism. Another classic, Worship, written toward the end of her life, has had tremendous influence on many modern authors and worship leaders. Mysticism can seem scary to some Christians who might have difficulty with some of Evelyn Underhill’s ideas. But it becomes helpful as it leads us to bow down in worship in the unfathomable presence of God.

Evelyn made the pursuit of a relationship with God her highest priority. Her mentor, theologian Baron von Hügel, served as her mentor and encouraged her to learn of God’s love both within the institutional church and by going out and helping the poor. He also advised her to pray at least one hour every day. If having a relationship with God was going to be her highest priority, spending time in prayer was a must. She passed on this wisdom to a friend: “Try to arrange things so that you can have a reasonable bit of quiet every day and do not be scrupulous and think it selfish to make a decided struggle for this. You are obeying God’s call and giving Him the opportunity to teach you what He wants you to know, and so make you more useful to Him and other souls.”

In our hectic world it can seem selfish to take time daily, especially as much as an hour, for quiet and prayer. There always seems to be something else to do, something urgent. We can easily convince ourselves that we’ll make sure we’ll find the time for God . . . soon.

How can you arrange things so you can have a “reasonable bit of quiet every day”? Can you make it a priority to carve out a time for quiet and prayer?

When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Matthew 6:6