The nudge, (obey that voice).
Nudge in plain terms can be seen as a push to do; or not to do something.
Nudge, according to Wikipedia means:
to push slightly or gently, especially with the elbow, to get someone's attention, prod someone into action.
"The nudge" in reference to what today's blog is all about is simply put:
That feeling, strong, urgent push to do something. The nudge I'm referring to is that which stays in our minds.
When your mind tells you to do something, when your mind is not comfortable with something, when your mind tells you not to go somewhere, when it tells you to keep quiet and just listen...
Have you ever?
Been nudged to read on a particular topic for test or exams, you find yourself disobeying and when you get to the hall, you realise that all the area of concentration and all you read didn't come out, but that one or two pages you felt won't come out, actually did. Then you start regretting and wishing ooh!
And my mind said it oh... (Sober reactions).
Tried passing your regular route leading to your workplace and you just had that strong nudge not to pass there that morning, you decided to obey and later you heard that all the people that passed that route in the morning were robbed?
I love stories, so here's one.
A girl was preparing to go for her early morning service in church "6am-7am" there was a shorter route that would have easily led her to church, a route she always passed, (who doesn't like shortcuts) and there was also a longer route that would put her through more trekking stress before she gets to church.
Well, on that fateful day; just as she was about entering her regular shortcut route, God placed a very strong nudge in her heart to pass the longer street, she felt it was her mind playing tricks on her and after all, God wouldn't want her to go late to church, the nudge was persistent, but she couldn't imagine going through the stress of passing the longer route.
She passed the shorter route and unfortunately, there were five men who were probably waiting for someone in skirts to come by...
She was raped...
You wouldn't blame God for this, she was warned, but God doesn't force, he warns you and still gives you an entitlement to choice "you either obey or disobey" but you'll bear the consequences of whatever action you make.
Been nudged to call someone and encourage the person, or pray for the person. And when you do so, you realize that the person was passing through trauma, and that single call you made; uplifted the person's soul?.
Been nudged to speak in tongues, pray, sing a praise song, laugh, smile?.
We all receive nudges, I doubt if there's a soul on this Earth that hasn't been nudged before.
Another story from my personal experience.
I came back knackered from a vigil rehearsal at exactly 6am. After a long journey from the venue of the vigil to my house, I was feeling really dizzy, I just wanted to hit the sheets and doze off to sleep...
But...
I had work to do that same day, so I had a minimum number of hours to satisfy my sleepy feelings. I hadn't cooked too, so I felt; "since there was light, let me cook first before I hit the sheets." I placed the beans into a pot and placed the pot on the gas cooker, and went to sit on one of the dining chairs.
Lo and behold!, the sleep kept beckoning on me to spare my eyes the luxury of rest.
A nudge was placed in my heart, to either sit and drill shorthand, just to take my mind off sleeping, or put off the gas and hit the sheets.
Nay... I didn't feel like drilling in shorthand that morning, even though it's what I love to do. I resolved in my heart to go and lay for awhile on my bed, close my eyes a bit and jerk back up to check the beans.
Beloved readers...
I actually woke up, but guess what time. I woke up by exactly 9am, now 6am to 9am Is a really lengthy gap.
The whole house was filled with black fumes, funny enough my dad who has a good sense of smell didn't even perceive the odour. Black fumes were everywhere, I literally had to pin my fingers to my nose as I walked swiftly to put off the gas. The pot was burnt beyond recognition, oh!. The beans, the texture was a terrible sight to behold.
I had to open the door for fresh air to enter and for those black fumes to move out. Oh, thank goodness the house wasn't burnt.
For weeks, the stench from the burnt beans was still very much present.
If I had obeyed the nudge and probably just sat on one of the dining chairs to drill... Or if I had put off the gas and gone to sleep.
Sighs...
Nudges mostly come from God, I call those nudges: "The Divine nudge"
Let's learn to obey, but not just obey, but to also hope for the spirit of discernment, to discern what is right or wrong.
Obey the voice.
Till we meet again in my next article and in yours.
Thanks for reading.
I certainly experienced plenty of nudges in my life. Some I obeyed, some I didn't. And in both instances, there were consequences - either good or bad.