Posted By MaryBeth

Psalm 16:11, “You have made known to me the path of life; you fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Have you ever heard that joy stands for “Jesus, Others, Yourself”? According to this formula, by putting Jesus first, others second, and yourself last, you will find joy. Christmas is an especially good time to put this formula into practice. But how can you in the midst of all the running and doing that Christmas brings about? Let’s break it down into each category:

Jesus: Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Simply put, you can’t find joy without first seeking its author. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit, who gives us joy through the fruits of the spirit. If you are seeking joy this Christmas, then a relationship with Jesus is the place to start. Put Jesus first in your life, and be intentional about doing so. You can’t just accidentally find Jesus. Jeremiah 29:13 tells us, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Your first priority this Christmas should not be to get the perfect Christmas card photo or bake a record amount of cookies. Your first priority should be drawing close to the One whose birth we celebrate. Don’t miss Jesus this year as the residents of Bethlehem did all those years ago. There wasn’t room in the inn. Is there room in your heart?

Others: How can you put other people ahead of yourself? I know for me, it’s more like, when am I not putting others ahead of myself? But I am talking about looking outside your immediate family and friends. Look for those people who may not see Jesus any other way this year except through you. My friend says, “We might be the only Jesus some people ever see.” Reach out to the retail clerks that wait on you. Smile at the grumpy people in your path. Extend grace and mercy not because they deserve it, but because it is what God offers us. I know I don’t deserve God’s grace, yet He freely gives it to me.

Yourself: Putting yourself last means having a place for yourself at all. I think that especially for women it is easy to forget about ourselves altogether. We get so used to serving others, we forget that we have needs. Jesus offers you love, acceptance and rest this Christmas. He simply says, “Come.” One of my favorite passages in scripture is found in Matthew 11:28-30 when Jesus offers us rest and a lighter burden. This passage speaks volumes to me in the midst of stress and busyness. I know that the only way I can make it is by drawing close to Jesus and letting Him minister to me on a personal level. Don’t forget that you have a place in the JOY formula!

How are you finding joy this Christmas? As I focus on JOY, I hope to learn more about the heart of the Savior, celebrating not just His birth, but the abundant life He came to offer.

Dec 29th, 2006

6 Comments to 'This Christmas, Focus On JOY!'

Subscribe to comments with RSS or TrackBack to 'This Christmas, Focus On JOY!'.

Heather said,
December 29th, 2006 at 12:56 am
you can’t find joy without first seeking its author

Wonderful words! Being happy isnt always a choice that is made easily, but thankfully as christians, we have the author of joy to turn to when we find ourselves in rough places.

I am thankful for that! Thank you for sharing today, It was truly a wonderful post!

-H
Susan (5 Minutes for Mom) said,
December 29th, 2006 at 4:05 pm
What a great formula! I don’t know if I’d heard that before… thanks for sharing it!
Paula said,
December 29th, 2006 at 9:53 pm
Thanks! I have heard it before but it was a great reminder.
Mike Meyer said,
September 27th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Where in the bible does it call for JOY? Particularly where are we told to put others ahead of ourselves. It seems apparent if we put others ahead of ourselves we should be living in shacks while we used our economic gain to take care of others. I am confused??

I look forward to your response, thanks

Mike
Lundie said,
September 30th, 2007 at 11:57 am
Mike,

John 15:9-17 (NIV) gives us a wonderful example, in Christ’s own words, of where he intends joy to be in our lives.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.

Also, Romans 12:10 (NIV) says, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

I believe that we must take every instance of giving, that is placed before us, to God in prayer and let Him guide us to what extent He wants us to give. I don’t believe that He ever wants us to give in such a way that it destroys us as givers. Any of these directives can be taken to the extreme and abused. I believe that if we are giving as a response of love and faith in our God to provide, he will make sure our own needs are taken care of.

Thank you for asking tough questions! What do YOU believe God means in these passages?

Blessings,
Lundie
Faith Lifts Administration Team
Leah said,
November 17th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
thanks for this article! I just heard this formula and wanted to find some verses to blog about it. thanks!