“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Years ago, I learned the acronym JOY –Jesus, Others and You. At the time I was a young mother in a Christian Moms’ group. One of the members suggested that is should be JYO because you need to take care of yourself so that you have the wherewithal to help others. I could definitely see her point. However, young children’s needs often came first.
As a grandmother I am often in the same position. I really put my own needs on the back burner when caring for small children. I am constantly on the alert for anything they could swallow, anything sharp or hot, you get the drill.
And Jesus? He definitely should be first. Emphasis on the word "should". I read several devotionals in the morning and I read several chapters of the Bible in the evening and pray before bed but I think in addition to watching for harmful objects I should be praying over my grandkids in the moment. That way I am putting Jesus first in the JOY equation.
Notice from the verse above that joy and peace are a result of trusting in God. Putting Him first and trusting in Him is truly the recipe for joy. As we trust in God, He will also come alongside of us, and the Holy Spirit will give us power and perspective that we would not otherwise have. This will also help you to serve others well. Trusting in God is the pathway to joy.