Following a Nudge from God

In our prolonged period of sheltering at home during the coronavirus pandemic, there are plenty of activities that could occupy my time. In our basement are boxes of crafts I’m itching to get at, but so far they remain unopened. I know I should be exercising way more than I do, but I’m lucky to get out for a walk once a week. I have the desire and ability to park my nose in a book for days without surfacing, but I’ve only completed four books in the past three months.

What I have done is devoted more time to Bible study, spent untold hours watching COVID-19 updates on TV, and attempted to clean out the basement and attic. That last one is a project with no end so you may hear more about it in future posts—and it likely will keep my crafts snug in their unopened packages for a very long time.

Since my life’s stage is crowded with acts and others are waiting in the wings, I wasn’t looking for any more big activities. I’m not a good multitasker.

However, I sometimes talk with God about what I can do during this time to help others. With our regular avenues of volunteer work temporarily closed due to social distancing, I often feel useless. So far He has led me to call friends, send cards, and make soup for neighbors—all easily doable on my end and appreciated on the receiving end.

Then one morning while I was being quiet with the Lord, I felt a nudge. It was gentle, like a soft, warm impression on my heart. I sensed God was telling me to begin a blog. Was that you, Lord? The idea wasn’t foreign to me; I had given it thought from time to time. But it always seemed like too much work so I would quickly dismiss it.

Questions poured into my head. One of loudest was What do I know about setting up a website, except that it’s complicated and would take a lot of my time? Remember, You have me on this massive basement project, Lord. The Lord quietly reminded me I knew absolutely nothing about publishing a book before I published two for my husband, and there was nothing simple or quick about that. But God had led us into that enterprise and helped us through each step.

Other questions screamed for my attention. What do I have to say that anyone else would want to read? What if it’s a flop? What if no one reads it? What if someone does read it? What if I post a couple things and then contract permanent writer’s block? Those what-ifs sure can keep us from acting on nudges from God.

I am not a risk taker, so it’s daunting to put myself out there. But God isn’t requiring any certain outcome from me. Outcomes are His department. My job is just to do what He asks.

In Deuteronomy 29:29 Moses spoke these words: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” The Israelites had experienced tough times during their 40-year wanderings through the desert. Now, as they stood ready to cross the Jordan River to possess their promised land, Moses called them to renew their commitment to God. Perhaps in this verse he was telling them they may not understand everything that has happened to them, but those are not things to dwell on. Rather, their attention should be on obeying the things God has spoken to them.

Their situation was much more serious than beginning a website. But what I get from this for myself is that there are things God knows that I may not find out for a very long time, or may never know—like why He wants me to start this. But that’s okay, because if I needed to know He would tell me. And there are other things He reveals to me that He wants me to know. Here it’s simply that He wants me to write a blog. And that’s good enough for me, because I trust Him.

If I’m being obedient to the nudge of God, it can hardly be a failure. So what if—and this is a good what-if—the only reader I have is God? As long as He is reading and smiling, I will be a happy blogger with a smile to match His.

Have you had a Godly nudge lately? Go ahead and ask Him all your questions. He likes to hear your concerns. But remember that He won’t ask you to do something and then let you flounder on your own. You may encounter obstacles—most assuredly you will—but He will reveal to you how to deal with each of them.  Don’t let the what-ifs prevent you from moving forward with God.