The definition of nag or nagging is to annoy by continued scolding, faultfinding, complaining. A nag is a person, especially a woman, who nags. Nagging usually has the purpose of spurring one to action or to make a decision. Nagging can apply also to a nagging headache or a nagging toothache or some ache or pain that persists. Usually it is used to describe some unpleasant circumstance and has a negative connotation. However, nagging can be of a positive nature when it involves a warning or when it can result in some kind of improvement. The back seat driver is an example of a type of nagging that can have positive results by keeping a driver alert to danger. Honey-do's around the house are common examples of nagging in domesticated life. Men are by nature oblivious or careless in noticing some of the details of everyday living that are important to women. Keeping things neatly straightened and tidy and in good order are admirable objectives. Even animals have a nagging tendency. Every morning my cat wakens me at 5:30 am by loud yowling at my bedside. I suppose one could call this a kind of nagging. It certainly gets me going, which is probably a good thing. So nagging has its positive points.
Jesus tells a parable in Luke, chapter 18, that pictures a woman who nags a judge. This widow is continually pestering the judge to come to her aid against her adversaries. The judge ignores her pleas for a while, but soon he becomes wearied with her continual complaining and eventually gives in to her request. "Though I do not fear God nor regard men, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me" (Luke 18:4,5}. Jesus then proceeds to explain that if an unjust judge can be swayed by persistent requests, "shall not God avenge His own elect who cry day and night to Him..." (Luke 18:7)? God expects us to be constant in prayer and He is not wearied with our asking. He will not turn a deaf ear to the effectual, fervent prayer of a godly person. In fact, God is waiting for us to ask, but He reserves the divine right as to when and how He will answer.
It is important that we continue to pray and to repeat our requests if they are fervent and sincere as distinguished from vain repetition. Using such devices as prayer wheels and rosary beads to repeat a prayer over and over by rote is not what Jesus was advocating. Our prayers should be very personal and passionate, but they should not be based on selfish motives. We should always pray according to God's will, and then we should patiently await God's answer in His own time and way. He knows what is best in the big scheme of the plan of salvation for us and for everyone else. So, if we are sincere and willing to trust God with the answers, then according to the parable, God does not object to persistent prayer, and we may feel free to engage in "nagging God."
