Learn How to Discern God’s Nudges
Have you ever felt a nudge to do something and wondered if it was from God or yourself? If so, I can relate. A nudge or prompting from God comes from scripture, people, prophetic words, gut feelings, whispers, and mind impressions, to name a few.
While I believe God can speak to us audibly, I haven’t heard His voice. Instead, I experience mind word impressions from the Holy Spirit, like other believers report. I call them nudges from God.
Upon reflection, I realize that the Holy Spirit guided me unknowingly on multiple occasions throughout my life, but the most transformative experience took place 17 years ago while folding laundry in my bedroom. It’s difficult to describe, but I received distinct word impressions on my mind that weren’t mine. Stunned, I rushed to my home office to find a pen and paper to capture God’s nudge.
The mind impression said to write reverent passages to glorify God and become a missioner. Unsure of the term ‘missioner,’ I looked up the definition. My assumption confirmed a missioner is a missionary or a person in charge of a religious or charitable mission.
It pains me to admit that I grappled with the Holy Spirit’s guidance over the next ten years by questioning the validity of His communications. But God is faithful. During my disobedient journey, He brought godly people and adventures to keep the missioner flame burning.
In 2009, another mind impression led us on a trip to Rwanda. The idea of traveling to any country in Africa never entered my thoughts. Another God nudge. Every day in Rwanda, I wept. My heart broke when I realized how oblivious I had been to others’ needs. Later, I learned God used the trip to awaken my spirit and inspire necessary changes in my life’s focus to move me towards the missioner’s journey.
However, like a child experimenting with parental guidance, I fumbled with discerning God’s direction. The first Africa trip sparked a desire to share my technology experience to advance education. It seemed logical. Building computer training labs in Rwanda is a noble cause, but it wasn’t God’s mission for me and the labs didn’t materialize. After the fourth trip pursuing the technology project, I felt foolish and defeated for missing the mark with Africa.
But God is faithful. On the last trip, while reading scripture on the porch, God revealed my purpose is loving and serving Him everywhere. Both in foreign lands and in my hometown. Shocked by the breakthrough, I understood where I veered off course.
On the first trip, I went to Rwanda out of pure obedience. With no rhyme or reason, I said yes to God with blind faith because His nudge was too strong to avoid. The next three trips were well-intended but self-motivated. I accepted God’s lead to visit a foreign land, but took over. However, I gained a remarkable lesson in obedience, discernment, and self-control.
But God is faithful. A few years later, during a church service, the words ‘go to Haiti’ enter my mind and once again, the thought never occurred to me. I shook my head, trying to ignore the message and the impression would not fade. Not long after, I connected with an acquaintance who supports a ministry in Haiti and, to my surprise, he needed someone to lead the implementation of a computer training lab in Haiti.
That’s when I learned what Psalm 37:4 means. When our hearts align with Jesus, pure desires are fulfilled.
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Here’s 7 ways to discern God’s nudges:
- Pray for a Deeper Connection: As believers, we established a connection with God upon surrender, but many Christians struggle with distinguishing their thoughts from the Holy Spirit. A deeper connection requires a closer relationship with God. How active is your communication? Think about your best relationship and what it takes to keep it alive and fruitful. Approach God as the most glorious friend of all and act accordingly. Share your heart with Him and listen.
- Pray According to God’s Will: 17-years ago, I was praying for God to reveal MY purpose. What I needed instead was for God to reveal HIS purpose, which is stated clearly in Mark 12:28-31. To paraphrase, we are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That applies to everyone, everywhere, always. Unconsciously and well-intended, I focused more on my contributions to Africa than on God’s will. Be humble by challenging your motives and ensure your plan aligns with God’s genuine nudge.
- Listen Intently: When the promptings from God happen, stop and listen intently. Whether from scripture, gut feeling, prophetic word, messenger, Holy Spirit mind impression, or other form, stop and be still. Flush out the background noise and press in to the Lord’s connection. When in doubt, ask the Holy Spirit to clarify. Have patience and wait for the Lord to confirm His direction.
- Collaborate with God: When we deviate from God’s plan, we go off course or delay the primary mission. All logical and noble ideas don’t equal God’s path. In prayer, seek confirmation from the Holy Spirit regarding the idea. Does it align with His message and the mission? Again, be patient and willing to accept the answer vs. forcing your motives above His.
- Recurring Nudges: When seeking discernment, it’s the persistent promptings that stand out for me. When the Holy Spirit nudged a visit to Haiti, I dismissed it, believing it was a craving for adventure. I was wrong. The recurring nudge didn’t go away, and the persistence caused me to explore the request. I knew it was God once I made the Haiti connection.
- Logic Need Not Apply: For me, most of God’s nudges include words I do not use which gained my attention 17 years ago. It’s an obvious clue for me to pay close attention. When God is leading, many times, logical requests are not commonplace. The trips to Africa, Haiti, and leaving a thriving career to pursue writing and ministry were not logical. I’ve learned to open my mind to God’s limitless ways and trust Him.
- Take Action: Once you receive God’s nudge, take immediate action. Following His timing is critical, and procrastination could cause unfulfilled assignments. Our faith and trust must be strong enough to assume it’s God connecting with us for a reason. Discern and act accordingly.
Today, I own and operate a Christian ministry and completed my first novel. I’m writing reverent passages to glorify the Lord just as He directed. Although it took several years and the journey wasn’t clear, each step and milestone brought me closer to God and into the mission he assigned. So too, can you.
The joy of being aligned with God instead of floundering with uncertainty is indescribable. Jesus promised His Father would send the Holy Spirit to guide us. He did. It’s our obligation and delight to deepen the connection. The anticipation of what’s next is the greatest adventure.
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