Read

Why I Believe in “God Winks”

Published:
December 22, 2023
November 23, 2019
God winks help me know I'm headed in the right direction, so I can be mindful and joyful in the moment.|Like this woman smelling wildflowers, God winks help me know I'm headed in the right direction, so I can be mindful and joyful in the moment.|Why I Believe in “God Winks” 1

For the longest time, I’ve loved words. Writing, reading, hearing all sorts of words — foreign languages, poetry, lyrics, what have you.

My love for words has shaped me as a person in more ways than I can count, but in one important, very personal way, it’s played a role in my faith.

And that role has taken the shape of “God winks.”

Let me preface this by saying that I consider myself a casual Catholic — I’m getting better about incorporating my faith into every day (my job does make that easier 🙃) , but it still feels like I have a long way to go.

But one thing I’ve held onto from my cradle Catholic childhood is God winks, something my adolescent brain created because of, once again, my love for words.

Looking back, I think when I cooked up this idea, I needed Words of Affirmation (being a prominent love language for me) from a God that I only ever knew from CCD on Sundays.

What is a ‘Godwink’?

Let me draw a line in the sand and give credit where it’s due: I did not officially coin the term ‘Godwink,’ at least according to where it matters: the Internet. I haven’t read the book When God Winks, but props to you, SQuire Rushnell, for getting the word in print first.

To SQuire, a Godwink is defined as, “what some people would call a coincidence, an answered prayer, or simply an experience where you'd say, ‘Wow, what are the odds of that?’”

And sure, my winks from God are coincidences, for all intents and purposes. But probably not something that would make others remark, “Well, would you look at that!”

What a God wink means to me

Personally, my definition is much more manageable logically — I believe in God, He has a plan, I have free will to fulfill that plan if I so choose, and the steps I take toward fulfilling that plan has me on the ‘right’ path. Since that’s something only I have control over, my God winks are usually exclusively between God and me — in the form of small intersections of two pieces of my life.

That intersection is usually as small as hearing the same word at the same time from both a conversation I’m having with a friend while shopping and the music playing over the intercom in the store.

But I take that small intersection of life’s events as a pat on the back that I’m moving in the right direction because for me to witness that coincidence, I was in exactly the right place at the right time.

As a perfectionist first-born, it was always reassuring to believe I was on the right path. So when a phrase from my mom’s conversation intersected with my reading of the same phrase in a friend’s text, I immediately felt a sense of calm; I was where I was meant to be.

How God winks have strengthened my faith

I realize I invented this sense of reassurance for myself — and still use it to this day. Maybe that makes me sound unhinged to some people, but I see it as a form of self-care.

Those God winks are reminders for me to pause and reflect on where I am and where I want to be headed. It’s a quick gut-check for whether I’m living out my life by my values and a reminder to make decisions based on my ultimate goals.

God winks are a habit of mindfulness I’ve incorporated into my day-to-day. And in that mindfulness, I’ve also been able to include my faith — faith in God, in trusting the process, and in the idea that Someone much greater than me has my back.

Sure, those God winks might just be coincidence in the end, but it’s been a comforting recurring reminder that I have a purpose and inherent worth — and I think that’s something everyone should hear every now and then, even if it’s inferred through the intersection of an email subject line and country lyrics.

Creators:
Mariah Cressy
Published:
December 22, 2023
November 23, 2019
On a related note...
"Room with No View"

"Room with No View"

Mary Grace Mangano

An 8-Mile Swim In Lake Michigan

An 8-Mile Swim In Lake Michigan

Grotto

Civil Rights Lawyer Doubles as Radio DJ

Civil Rights Lawyer Doubles as Radio DJ

Grotto

5 Ways to Work Against Assault-Culture

5 Ways to Work Against Assault-Culture

Mary Rose Somarriba

Feast of All Saints Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Feast of All Saints Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

Grotto’s Travel Guide to Washington, D.C.

Grotto’s Travel Guide to Washington, D.C.

Andrew Mentock

"Lost One"

"Lost One"

Lesley Clinton

How Do You Find Friends After College?

How Do You Find Friends After College?

Grotto

How I Finally Stopped Parish-Hopping

How I Finally Stopped Parish-Hopping

Josh Flynt

Looking for More Joy and Gratitude? Try a ‘Hedonic Reset’

Looking for More Joy and Gratitude? Try a ‘Hedonic Reset’

Chris Hazell

Why It’s Okay if You’re in a Spiritual Slump Right Now

Why It’s Okay if You’re in a Spiritual Slump Right Now

Sophie Caldecott

Podcast S1 | Ep1: Finding Awe

Podcast S1 | Ep1: Finding Awe

Grotto

"Clothe the Naked"

"Clothe the Naked"

Barbara Lisette

Take Me Home: A Grotto Short Film

Take Me Home: A Grotto Short Film

Grotto

4 Creative Ways to Stay in Touch with Friends Post-College

4 Creative Ways to Stay in Touch with Friends Post-College

Mariah Cressy

St. Thomas the Apostle Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

St. Thomas the Apostle Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

Faith Inspired by Saint Oscar Romero

Faith Inspired by Saint Oscar Romero

Grotto

March Madness Champions and Their ‘Painful Gift’

March Madness Champions and Their ‘Painful Gift’

Grotto Shares

“Camp Lazarus”

“Camp Lazarus”

Marjorie Maddox

Volunteering at Code School Makes An Impact | Little Ways: Code

Volunteering at Code School Makes An Impact | Little Ways: Code

Grotto

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.