Have you ever had a tiny impression come to your mind? One that you weren’t sure where it came from? If you’re like most people, they often come through as a passing thought that you barely even notice. While they may be small and fleeting, what if some are there for a reason?
I was at a conference a few years ago and someone told me the that little nudges I was getting were more God than me. The intuition or the impression I have about a situation or a next step. When they said that to me, it hit home, so I decided to go with it. I decided that when a nudge came to my mind, I would act on it. Whether it was something to say, a call to make, a place to go, or anything else within reason.
What I experienced next amazed me.
When I took the step to act on the little nudge that I felt, it was like a flood gate opened. Things that seemed so small and irrelevant led to significant outcomes when I took the step. And they were thoughts I barely even noticed or just let pass by.
I remember a time when I was driving home from work and I felt a nudge to go through a fast food drive-through. So I followed the nudge and ordered a coffee. When I got to the window, a lady was celebrating and almost crying and said, “that is exactly what I needed today! Thank you!” She was pointing at a decal on my windshield that said KNOW JESUS. She explained that God had used the simple sign to show her that He was still in charge in the tough times. We never know how God may use simple obedience to the nudges.
Sometimes God speaks through a megaphone and other times it is like a distant whisper. We need to be attentive to when He may be speaking. Sure we will get it wrong sometimes, but this is about small actions, not big life changing decisions. Sometimes we get it right and sometimes we miss it – but they are small risks. Just little impressions.
I often feel like I can just go along with my day and God will take care of everything. He will set me up. He will prepare the situation. He will prepare the other people. He will prepare the opportunity and the right atmosphere. He will even prepare the information I will need.
The more in-tune I get with following the right nudges that come to mind, the more it feels like a real partnership with God. I have my responsibility to just go where and say what I sensed. No pressure at all. I’m not suggesting some mystical far-out way of working or living – just following simple steps that come to mind. A phone call to make, a lunch to schedule, a even walk to take. Simple things that God will use to move your work and life in the direction He has planned.
Other nudges I have felt and seen God use are simple things like going to a specific area or place, taking a different route home, bringing a particular book with me, answering an email, ignoring an email, making a purchase, avoiding a purchase, taking a note, talking to someone in a line, starting a process, and giving a simple encouragement, along with countless others.
They are all simple. None of these examples seem significant on the surface. But each of them led to a story that made a difference. One that God used – whether it was for me, for another person or even for a project.
I’m certainly not claiming that every passing thought is from God, but what if you started to pay a little closer attention for the thoughts that could be?
Try following a nudge and God just may surprise you.
