A Cupcake and a Prayer

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:16

We’ve all been there. Just when you think you’ve got your self-control under control, a beautifully frosted cupcake is staring you in the face. Before it even registers in your mind that you shouldn’t eat it, your teeth are smeared with sweet creamy goodness and you find yourself licking the paper liner for every last crumb. To make matters worse, you figure the day is now shot so you may as well have another one, right? After all, tomorrow is a new day and you’ll behave yourself then.

We sabotage our good intentions every time we give in to impulse. So what can we do when temptation strikes and we waiver in our commitment to better health? Willpower alone won’t do it – at least not in the long-term. We need help that comes from a higher power, not an inner power. 

We often think we can stand firm in the face of things we know are not good for us. We think we can handle the situation, and we take pride in our determination to overcome it. Sometimes we can, but usually not for very long. A birthday party, a holiday, a special occasion or a random Thursday evening, and before we know it we are elbow deep in a party-size bag of M&Ms. 

The struggle is real, but the good news is we are not left to our own devices. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Did you see that? God does it. He provides a way out. Now, hold that thought for a moment.

Ephesians 6:10 says, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” If we are to be strong in the Lord and in his power, we need to bring him into the situation and rely on him to see us through, don’t we? Our own power is clearly not enough. 

Let’s put these two verses together with our key verse (Colossians 3:16) and see what the way out might look like when we are about to devour the aforementioned cupcake. The solution is simple, really. Whenever you eat anything – ANYTHING (whether healthy or not) – stop for a moment and turn to God. Give thanks to him, aloud if possible, for what you are about to consume. An honest prayer of thankfulness for his provision. Doing so will:

• Acknowledge that food is a gift from God. Its purpose is to nourish your body;
• Stop the clock before you mindlessly indulge, giving you time to reconsider the choice; and
• Allow God to impart his strength into your weakness.

When we take time to truly thank God and think about what we are putting into our body, we are much more likely to choose healthier options. 

Let’s invite God to every meal, every snack. Every. Single. Morsel. Whenever we put something into our mouth, let’s get into the habit of thanking him for it. Let’s prove that even heavenly frosted cupcakes are no match for the power of prayer!