By Jeff Brink, July 2, 2024

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples (Acts 2), just as Jesus had foretold before his ascension into Heaven. Jesus had promised not to leave them alone; Jesus would send them an advocate, the Holy Spirit, to inhabit their hearts and to give them understanding and direction in their lives (John 14:23-29). The Greek word is parakletos, meaning “to call alongside.” Jesus promised the disciples the Paraclete to walk with them as their teacher and guide.

More than 2,000 years later, all believers in Jesus Christ are sealed by the same Holy Spirit, who walks alongside us and directs us daily. The Holy Spirit provides many fruits and benefits in the life of a believer, including guiding our relationships and nudging us to connect and engage others.

Have you ever felt a Spirit-led nudge pulling you to talk or pray with a stranger, friend, or coworker about their spiritual life? This kind of nudge is more than intuition. This is the voice of God inviting you to join Him in His redemptive work. This nudge is God speaking to you through the Holy Spirit. Detecting and obeying these nudges is one of the most important habits in personal evangelism.

God’s nudge often comes as a gentle whisper. Sometimes, a nudge turns to shove, but most of the time, we are simply included in what Jesus is already up to. It may be God’s way of elbowing you to get your attention, saying, “Child, I want you to do something for me; I want you to join me in working in a mighty way. I need you to contact someone on my behalf.”

I wonder how often the invisible yet very real and tangible Holy Spirit comes alongside each of us daily, nudging us to pay attention to something or someone. How often do we either fail to hear that subtle voice or ignore it altogether? It’s so easy to think these types of nudges are just passing thoughts as we become busy and fail to take action, missing that special invitation to join God in His kingdom work.

I am certainly guilty of ignoring the voice of the Holy Spirit far too often, letting the noise around me drown it out. We should consider this throughout the day – the God of the universe invites us to partner with Him in His redemptive work, and He’s trying to get our attention with a holy nudge. We need only pay attention to the Holy Spirit’s nudge, and as we act on it, God’s business is performed through us. Do not let the fear of man suppress the nudge of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Our professional networks are loaded with opportunities to do God’s work. He has placed us in our vocational roles and workplaces for specific reasons. Look for a nudge in your network today and act upon it!