When God Whispers a Word
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” — John 14:6 NIV
It has been a few days since I last posted, so you have not received a devotional from me in your inbox.
At first, I felt as though I needed to apologize. After all, this is The Joy Movement 365. Shouldn’t a name like that mean I have something new to share every single day?
But the purpose of The Joy Movement 365 has never been to create pressure, either for me to write every day or for you to read every day. It is an invitation to make room for God every day. There are many ways to do that. You can open your Bible, listen to Scripture through the YouVersion Bible App, meditate on a meaningful verse, take a walk and notice God’s creation, or have coffee with a friend and invite God into the conversation.
Sometimes making room for God also means resting, and with fall break on my calendar, I decided to pause. I rested from writing, but I did not rest from God. I continued reading my Bible and listening to Scripture. I made room to be quiet with Him without feeling that I had to turn every moment into something polished enough to share.
One night while I was sleeping, I heard a single word:
Bridge.
I have learned to be careful about claiming that I completely understand what God is saying. Sometimes He gives us a word, a verse, or a thought and invites us to sit with it before its meaning becomes clear.
So that is what I did.
I searched for the word bridge in the Bible but did not find it used in the way I expected. Instead, the idea of a bridge is woven throughout Scripture's message. A bridge connects what has been separated. It provides a way across something we could not cross on our own. Although Scripture does not call Jesus a bridge, Jesus tells us plainly:
“I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:6 NIV
Jesus is the One who brings us into a relationship with God. He crosses the distance we could never cross through our own strength, goodness, or effort. He does not merely point toward the way; He is the way.
Perhaps God gave me the word "bridge" because I am crossing from one season of life to another. I am letting go of my childhood home, which held more than four decades of memories, while learning to trust that those treasures are not trapped behind its walls.
God is carrying them and me forward.
Perhaps He is also reminding me of the purpose behind The Joy Movement 365. I cannot be anyone’s bridge to salvation; that place belongs to Jesus alone. But I can point people toward Him. I can share what He is teaching me, speak His name, tell the truth about my journey, and try to live in a way that reflects the fruit of His Spirit.
I can offer encouragement to someone who feels alone. I can listen without judgment. I can share a verse that helped me through a difficult day. I can tell another person that God’s grace is still available and that His love has not left them.
That could be one way we become bridge-builders: not by trying to take the place of Jesus, but by helping others see the way to Him. So, this week, I am going to sit with the word bridge and explore what it may be teaching us. We will reflect on the bridges God builds between our past and our future, between one another, and—most importantly—between our hearts and His.
I hope that, together, we will learn to recognize the bridges God provides, trust Him as we cross them, and become bridge-builders who help others find their way to Jesus.
Share Your Joy Today.
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