Today’s Truth

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat–for he grants sleep to those he loves (Psalm 127:2 NIV).

Friend to Friend 

There’s something my husband James calls the cupcake spirit.

It all began years ago when I promised to bring cupcakes to my child’s classroom. I was up late baking those cupcakes because I didn’t have any time earlier in the day to get it done. It made perfect sense to me. I was doing it out of necessity. James thought it was a ridiculous use of time.

“Why don’t you just buy cupcakes tomorrow morning?” he asked as I fired up the oven well past 10. “I planned to make cupcakes and that’s what I’m going to do!” I huffed. Truth be told, I didn’t want to make those cupcakes, either. I just wanted to go to bed. I’m not a baker or a cook–maybe that’s why I had made it so important to make those cupcakes instead of buying them. I was going to prove to myself and my husband and the world that I could do it!

This is the incident that defined “the cupcake spirit” in our home. Whenever James thinks I’m doing something extra, unnecessary, or over-the-top, he bellows out, “Cupcake spirit!”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying it’s bad to bring cupcakes to the classroom. I’m just saying that sometimes we burden ourselves with things that are not really that important. The cupcake spirit is about doing more than is necessary to our own harm.

Today’s key verse cautions us against excessive striving: “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat–for he grants sleep to those he loves (Psalm 127:2 NIV).

God offers sleep for our striving; rest for our restlessness.

The preceding verses reveal the why behind the vanity of the cupcake spirit. Verse 1 (NIV) says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”

I might work all night long but unless God is in it, my efforts are futile. Ultimately, it is God who provides everything we need. It is God who protects. We don’t have to work relentlessly, early in the morning, late into the night to ensure our well being. The Bible says God gives us sleep. We can give our burdens and problems to Him instead of staying up into the night worrying about cupcakes, bills, work problems, and relationships.

When I’m running ragged, existing on little sleep, I am not a happy camper. But if I get enough rest, I am much kinder and more reasonable to myself and others. Somehow we’ve bought the lie that it’s nobler to do more and sleep less. Sometimes it’s the cupcake spirit that’s keeping us awake at night, doing things that don’t really have to be done.

In Matthew 6, Jesus is teaching the disciples how to pray. Right in the middle of what is known as the Lord’s Prayer, He says, “Give us today our daily bread” (verse 11, NIV). God is inviting us to pray for our needs–our daily bread, not our daily cupcakes! There may be some extras in our lives that we spend a lot of time on, but they are not really things we need. Let’s push against the cupcake spirit, lean on the Holy Spirit, and dim the lights early tonight for a good night’s sleep. After all, God gives His beloved rest.

 

Let’s Pray

Dear God, thank You for providing every single thing I need each day. Help me to discern between the important and unimportant in my life. Show me areas of my life that I can simplify to get more rest. I am not going to worry about tomorrow, because I know you have taken care of today.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Now It’s Your Turn  

When do you exhibit the cupcake spirit (doing more than is necessary to your own harm)? What’s something you can take off your to-do list to simplify your life?

 

More from the Girlfriends

Is screen time keeping you awake at night (or your kids)? Arlene’s book Screen Kids will show you how to form healthy habits around technology.

 

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8 Responses to “Cupcake Spirit”

  1. Renee says:

    I loved “cupcake spirit”. It really made me think about all of the decorating I do for the holidays and the stress it puts me under. Even though I love the decorations once they’re up, it is so much time putting them up and taking them down. I’m going to try to focus more on the season and less on the decorations. Less of the “cupcake spirit”! Thank you!

  2. Jen says:

    Arlene, thank you so much for this illustration. I definitely benefited from that reminder. I have some things to pray about! Thank you! Wishing you a beautiful day!

  3. Carol says:

    Wow, Arlene….
    This devotion hit a home run! and I’m asking myself “Why do I do these kind of things?” in my own life!
    So now, when I start to spin like a whirling dervish, I going to remember the “cupcake spirit” and Psalm127:2.
    Thank you, for today’s inspired lesson; because resting in God…is trusting in God.

  4. CJ says:

    AMEN! Great words as we are in the midst of the holiday bustle. Rest in Him. We are commanded to do so. I was beating myself up a tad. Traditionally, the Christmas tree goes up Halloween night. Not this year. Yesterday, God told me “it’s ok”. He has something else for me to do. Thank God!!

  5. CJ says:

    AMEN! Great words as we are in the midst of the holiday bustle. Rest in Him. We are commanded to do so. I was beating myself up a tad. Traditionally, the Christmas tree goes up Halloween night. Not this year. Yesterday, God told me “it’s ok”. He has something else for me to do. Thank God!!

  6. Candace says:

    So how does this align with Proverbs 31 and the model wife? There we are told the virtuous wife does all these things including getting up while it is still night to feed her family. She works vigorously, etc.

  7. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments! I am so encouraged myself to calm down the schedule and decorations in order to enjoy and emphasize the more meaningful things. We are in this together. Trusting our good God and resting in Him!

  8. Candace,

    Great question! I think the Prov 31 woman was up at night to provide for her household necessities. I don’t think she was up doing the extras that we often do. Hard work – yes!!! Saying yes to too many things – no!

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