When I shared an update to the prayer list with one of our church members the other day, her response impressed me.
She said, "I should have called her when I had an inkling to do so! Out of the blue, she popped up in my mind, and I should have reached out to her then."
Comparing notes on how God seems to drop hints to us about one another, we both marveled at the power of the Holy Spirit. Our conclusion was clear: When we find ourselves thinking about someone, we should consider it a direction from God to pray for them.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, an inkling is "a slight knowledge or suspicion; a hint." The word comes from the Middle English word, "inkle," which is to "utter in an undertone."
Perhaps, the Holy Spirit gives us hints as to what is afoot. These hints, these suspicions, these sixth-senses or clues can be God-inspired. And if so, we should act upon them.
Inklings are a call to prayer.
Romans 8:26-27 says it this way: "The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."
I like the idea that the Holy Spirit nudges us to pray for one another when our brothers and sisters in Christ need it most. When we do not have the power to pray for ourselves, the Spirit intercedes by calling the Church—the family of God—to pray for us.
What a comfort it is to know that God breaks into our lives during times of need. When we, ourselves, are too weak, or distressed, or empty to pray on our behalf, God still provides. The Church exists to provide a network of prayer to support all its members. If we pride ourselves on living in isolation and think that a life of being in a community is unimportant, we sever a lifeline of prayer when we need it. We say no to the Holy Spirit when we respond to God's nudges with apathy and indifference.
Yes, it's easy to ignore or dismiss these inklings. If the primary focus is always on ourselves, these nudges from the Holy Spirit drift away like smoke from an extinguished candle. The candle's smoke—like Divine inklings—may be unmistakable for a moment but will fade from memory when we become distracted by something else. Wise and mature Christians teach us that we must nurture mindfulness to be aware of these nudges from the Holy Spirit. Awareness, however, is but half of the equation. Once we sense that God is directing our attention to someone else, we must summon the energy to pray for them as they come to mind. A follow-up text message, note, or voicemail to the person you prayed for can open countless opportunities for bearing witness to God's work in the world.
And here's one final takeaway: It's never too late to pray for someone or to follow up with them. Our God is a God of redemption and resurrection, and we are an Easter People. God will work through us even when we are absent, tardy, or willfully disobedient. So extend yourself some grace and pray now for the one(s) who are on your mind. There's a reason why you have an inkling that something is afoot.
It's God who is nudging you awake. So, climb out of your slumber and pray for those who occupy your mind.