Mom! PLEEEEEEEZZZZZZ!!!!
Ah yes. Whining. That nagging dance our children, grandchildren and even our friends employ. Why do people keep doing it, when it’s so irritating?
Because it works, that’s why.
The bible is full of effective complainers. My favorite is Moses. God chose him out of all the Israelites to save his people. He was the most humble of all men on earth. Perfect choice, right
? But wow. That man was an Olympic-caliber whiner.
When God appeared to Moses, and gave him his mission, Moses was less than enthusiastic. Trying to politely decline the job, he told the Father that Pharaoh would never listen to him. God responded by showing him the miracle of changing his staff into a serpent. Pretty impressive.
But Moses followed that up with a classic complaint; he’s not a ‘public speaker’. God points out that he created mouths, so no problem.
And now for the final shot: “Oh my Lord, send I pray, another person.” (Exodus 4:14).
No amount of protesting is going to change God’s mind. The whining did not change Moses’ mission, but it did have a favored result. Because of his bellyaching, God was moved to show Moses how he could perform wonders with the staff. And it resulted in God assigning a partner to walk the path with him. He assigned Aaron, Moses’ well-spoken brother.
When I pray, sometimes I think I whine too much. “What is the purpose of all of this?” Or: “I can’t bear this right now.” Facing prayers like these, I wonder if the Lord plants his fingers in his ears.
But God wants to hear
all
my prayers. To prove it, he lets me know I had holy company. Examples in the bible of his servants, who did not shy away from grumbling, are numerous. Were they being ungrateful? I don’t think so. Just human. Moaning and griping are really just honest reactions to pain and confusion.
Take the Israelites in the desert (Please! LOL!). The Lord sent manna to feed them. Were they satisfied? Oh no. Let the Whining Games begin. Now they wanted meat.
Not wanting to give up his own Gold Medal in wailing, Moses becomes distraught, and cries out to the Lord: “Did I conceive these people? Did I bring them forth?…I am not able to carry all these people alone, the burden is too heavy for me.”
Our Father did not roll his eyes and throw down a lightening bolt. He saw through the attitude, and discerned the pain in their hearts. He listened and gifted. The Israelites got their quail.
God was so patient and loving with the Israelite nation; Moses included. How much more will he listen and help me when I complain? I may not get a free pass out of my suffering, but I will get the help I need to get through. Our Father did not pinch his ears to block out
whiny
Moses, and he will not do that with me either.
Just like Moses, I need to reach the Promise Land. On my way there, Lord, please change me. Transform one of your biggest whiners, into one of your biggest warriors.
Linking today with: Wednesday Prayer Girls
Linking today with: Wednesday Prayer Girls
Whining is sooooo annoying, isn’t it? Believe it or not, I had a memory flashback of me whining and begging my mom and my friend’s mom to let Diana come over. I bet they wanted to slap me! So glad God is very patient and kind and gracious.
Hi Susan! Oh my gosh girl, you are funny!
Whining is so annoying, YES. I agree. I think it reflects a lack of trust and initiative. But God can even work right through that, to get to his wonderful will. That is a miracle!
So I have to ask: did Diana come over?
Happy Wednesday
Ceil
Whiners. Yeah. I got that.
And too often I AM that. Self-absorbed, feeling entitled, obnoxious. Yet my precious Lord hasn’t given up on me yet, doesn’t get weary in continuing to mold and make me, refusing to give up. He envisions me in the image of His dear Son. Thank You for your patience, God.
And thank you, Ceil, for yet another home run. I am loving your writing!
;-}
Hi Linda! Your comment was fun to wake up to this morning
Thank you for your encouragement today!
Isn’t it amazing that God can see right through all the complaining and see a person just full of holy potential? I love that about Moses. Fully human, a bit resistant, but God doesn’t waver. Who he has called, he has called. Miraculous!
Have a blessed day, LInda
Ceil
I’m pretty sure I have the gold medal for whining, at least around here. I’ve been thinking lately my prayers are focused too much on petitions, rather than love and adoration. I need to change that. Either way, I know I’m being heard and that’s good to know.
I always enjoy your posts, Ceil. Have a great day.
Hi Kathleen! I believe you will have to wrestle me for that medal.
Either way we are heard, you are so right. But like dealing with our kids, we like the experience of obedience, not whining. I think God is the same way. But whining doesn’t change anything about God. He still loves, still needs us. Moses came around eventually. I know you and I will too. He will change us into warriors.
That sounds like fun!
Blessings on your day, my friend. I am always happy to see you and your camera here
Ceil
Great post!!
Hi Jennifer! Thank you for coming on over today, and making a comment too. I appreciate your support and blog-friendship
Have a great day!
Ceil
Well, He did love them; but He was also irritated at the whining. Thus the 40-year trip to the Promised Land. So maybe the lesson to be learned is that whining prolongs the agony.
Hi Linda! You bring up a good point. Whining is not the ‘go to’ reaction, that’s for sure. Certainly the Lord loves our obedience in every circumstance.
My point is more that we shouldn’t beat ourselves up when we want to complain and whine to God. It’s a human reaction, and God will give us the grace to get past that point. Just like like he helped Moses.
The Israelites also whined because they had no faith that God would deliver on his promises. I know that God will, I just don’t like the path sometimes. That is a critical difference, in my mind.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I love it
Ceil
Havent thought it before. Thanks for the revelation Ceil. We really have an understanding God:)
Have a blessed day!
Hi Joy! Well, maybe you don’t whine as much as I do!
We sure do have a wonderful Father who looks at us and loves us. Always. That is an incredible love. What a model for us.
Blessings to you too!
Ceil
Great post! Thank God for these Biblical examples of imperfect beings that God was able to use anyway
Hi Joyful! You have it exactly, Joyful. We are so loved by the Father that he is willing to listen to our fears and excuses…and love us anyway. He’ll still use us too. This Father is amazing
Thank you for your visit today!
Ceil
Dear Ceil
As I was reading, I was impressed with Moses’ honesty when he told God that the burden was to heavy for him. Experiencing a severe Fm/ CFS relapse, I understand his plight. I constantly need to draw so close to our Pappa for, just like Jesus, I cannot carry this cross on my own. But He is so loving and so faithful to carry me as I rest in Him.
Blessings XX
Mia
Hi Mia! Moses certainly was honest about his feelings, fears, the whole thing. And the Lord was there, and allayed every one of them. Just like he allays your heavy burden in his constant love for you.
I hope you will continue to get better, Mia. You are in my prayers.
Ceil
I often think that God must despair!
Hi Elizabeth! I’m sure he dispairs of lack of faith. What more can he do to convince us of his love and saving power?
I think he patient with moaning though. Just like we are patient with the kids who don’t want to take out the garbage, he is patient with us. He’ll give us the grace we need to get over that temporary temper tantrum!
Good to see you today!
Ceil
LOVE THIS GIRL!! Moses is defiantly one that I relate to often.. Especially with the uncomfortably of public speaking. However, Jesus is really working on me with that!!
Thanks for your encouragement <3
Hi Heather Leigh! Wow, you are going to be getting into public speaking? That’s exciting, good for you!
I am glad you could be encouraged reading this post today. That encourages me too! Thank you for your lovely comment
Ceil
Whiners…yep. Been there, done that, sometimes still. Can I not send a lightening bolt? (lol at that, btw)–totally agree with your post. You know, I am a firm believer in that 1. God only gives us what he knows we can handle. 2. He gives us things to see how we handle them. Thanks Ceil. Blessings
Hi Linda! Oh really, don’t we want to throw one at the kids sometimes? LOL! (or at myself, for that matter!)
God is so good, and believes so hard in what we can accomplish. We are the ones who are not sure. But we can do wonders with what God gives us, he will help us handle it! I loved your #1 and #2 Linda
Have a blessed Wednesday!
Ceil
From a whiner to a warrior…I like the sound of it. Yet sometimes I fall into whining far too easily. It makes me think of a tweet I just read from Proverbs 31 Ministry that stated “I want to challenge you to pray prayers that make God your focus, rather than your circumstances”. My whining comes from when I’m focused on my circumstances.
Hi Wanda! I like that tweet. I think Kathleen was talking to your point. More prayer in adoration and love. It’s hard to complain when you focus on those things.
I want to be God’s warrior! I have to believe in myself as much as he believes in me. That was Moses’ problem, he didn’t think he could do it. Yet God didn’t let him off the hook. I love that! Urge us all on to do great things for you, Lord!
Happy Wednesday
Ceil
Our dear friend Kathleen shared what I was thinking…I realized after your inspiring post that most of my prayer time is spend in petitioning rather than love. I am so glad you shared this today, my dear friend! : )
Hi Billie Jo! I think Kathleen and Wanda both made that point. I think this is the reason thanksgiving is so important in prayer. It takes us out of ourselves and into the realm of God’s vision for us.
If Moses saw himself like God saw him, he wouldn’t be whining. He’d be getting those sandals on, and packing a bag. God sees you as his warrior, Billie Jo.
I do think a little whining is ok. Even good for us, to get it all out there. But then we move on to faith. And as you said, love.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment today
Ceil
Gotta love Moses. I remember writing a devotional about him many years ago. I think I called him the “father of excuses.” God gave him a mission; Moses had an excuse. And that final outburst, “Lord, please just send someone else!” was a real humdinger.
But the thing that amazes me, throughout the whole story of Moses, is the patience of the Lord. I mean, heavenly day, God even crafted a new tablet of 10 Commandments after Moses threw the first one to the ground, in a childish fit of anger. And, to top it off, after all of that, God called Moses a “friend.” Just wow!
It’s wonderful to serve a God of compassion.
Loved this post, Ceil.
Hi Dayle! What a great point about the 10 Commandments! I totally forgot about that. I guess ‘excuses’ is really another way to say ‘whining’.
God is so good, and called Moses ‘friend’, which is amazing. But you know, I really think Moses did some real works of total faith. He didn’t always complain. That faith is his, and our, saving grace. God can see our need in the complaints. He knows if we believe in him or not.
Like Elizabeth commented, The Lord despairs in our lack of faith. Not our momentary hissy fits. I think he expects a few of those!
Thank you for your thoughtful comment today, Dayle. So nice to see you
Ceil
Hi Ceil,
Whining can come from for all sorts of reasons – fear, lack of confidence, not wanting to do what we are asked to do. The lovely thing is that we have a God who understands that we are flesh and who will use different tools for different jobs, and He is well able to change a whiner into a warrior, especially if we mix protest with praise.
God bless.
Hi Brenda! I like that idea of mixing ‘protest and praise’. Good one!
That really is the key for me. If I know he can help, I have the faith that God can work with. If I don’t think he can help…that’s a problem.
That’s why we should all be warriors! And faithful ones at that.
Thank you for visiting today, Brenda. You are such a faithful blog-friend
Ceil
Me too Ceil! I want to transform from whiner to warrior for God. Great post!
Hi Angel! Hey! Let’s be warriors together? I think it’s easier in pairs, don’t you?
I am so glad you liked the post today, Angel. Thank you for your visit today. It’s always good to see you.
Ceil
I LOVE coming here! I can be such a whiner at times…whining to my husband (thankful he loves me), whining to a close friend, whining, whining, whining! I, like you, am grateful that God looks past the whining and looks at our heart…He understands where we are. And He loves us! I guess that means that when He puts whiners in my path that I need to pass on some of that understanding He hands out to me.
Thank you, Friend!
Hi Diana! And I LOVE seeing you here!
What a great insight about paying it forward and being nice to whiners. Good one! Love that! You are so right.
I have read many times that what we don’t like in others is usually a good sign that we struggle with the same things. I don’t like whiners! And I am quite the Olympian myself in that department.
I loved your thoughtful comment today, Dianna. Thank you for your great point. I’ll try to be more aware, and extend love and patience to complainers in my day. Just like God does with me!
Blessings my friend!
Ceil
Hi Ceil…Oh yeah, I’ve been known to do a bit of whining here and there. Sad but true. Getting better at not doing it , though, so that’s good.
Thanks for stopping by. Love when you visit. Susan
Hi Susan! I am so glad that you are making progress on your whining. I think I am too. But it’s a slow process. Those old habits die hard.
Thank you for coming by, Susan. And thank you for your comment about visiting. It’s fun to get to know each other, isn’t it?
Happy Wednesday
Ceil
Ceil, love your sense of humor, and love your lessons even more. Actually, you won’t believe how timely this post is. I just finished a post about complaining that I am going to post on my blog next Monday. Finding myself in a season of whining, I decided to write about it. And it’s rather wonderful what God had to say to me.
Lately, in the Whining Olympics, I have been winning the gold medal. But, I think I’d rather just finish the race with an honorable mention because I’ve been honorable in the running.
GOD BLESS!
Hi Sharon! Well, we must have the whole whining thing on our hearts this week, huh? It sure is an interesting subject. I’ll have to check out your post on Monday. It’d be nice to read another take on the subject, and what God is saying to you!
Yeah, this is one race we’d win by losing! Thanks for coming on over today Sharon. Always good to see you. Thank you too for your encouraging comments about the writing
Ceil
Hi Ceil, this was a great resell of Scripture and how there were some Godly examples of Whiners. I guess I’m in good company! I think I could compete in the wrong games to win the title of “Whiner of the Year.”
May I grow to trust The Lord more and whine less!
Blessings, Janis
Hi Janis! I do think it is a lot about trust, that’s for sure. But it is very human to moan our situations because we just don’t understand. I think as long as we are working on leaving it all in God’s hands, he will arm us with the strength we need to be what he wants us to be!
Thank you for reading two posts, and commenting on them too. You are such a good blog friend!
Have a wonderful day Janis,
Ceil
Good Morning, Ceil -
You’re on, you’re featured, you’re here!
http://creeksideministries.blogspot.com/2013/10/people-101-day-17-confident-identities.html
Enjoy, my friend!
;-}
Thank you Linda! I hope there will be many women and men who will be lifted by watching these powerful videos!
Ceil
Ceil, I am a day late reading this, with my 2 granddaughters under foot this week. What a great post! I have been one of the BIGGEST whiners in years past, but the last 3-4 years have brought major changes to our family and now my trust in Him has deepened, and I find myself whining a lot less. It is hard to see the bigger picture and to have faith that He is in control of every situation, so we whine and whine because all we see is inconvenience and crisis. My husband used to preach that the Chinese word for crisis and opportunity is the same word, so what we mistake as crisis is really just an opportunity for Yah to work on our behalf! I do not respond quite the same way I used to and although I still get weary and discouraged, I have SEEN His Hand work on my family’s behalf FAR too often to not understand He is creating change in people’s life for a reason and change is NEVER comfortable. At times, I find myself grumbling under my breath, but then I feel ashamed. I know He is doing the very thing I pray daily for: to make me into something beautiful to be used of Him! I have gone through more pairs of ‘big girl panties’ in the last few years than ever before, haha, and I am become rather fond of how they feel. This was a wonderful post dear and I am thankful for you, friend! Hugs, Kelly
Hi Kelly! I just loved your comment, good friend. I love that idea of crisis and opportunity being the same ideas. Hard to understand, but you have won such wisdom in your travels in life. I think you will be a great model for me!
I think I am also collecting those ‘big girl panties’ and I love that image too. Time to stand up and recognize who has been in charge the whole time. And it wasn’t me!!
Enjoy those grandchildren! I always love seeing you here
Ceil
ha..whining(:)
the chocolate labs..oh yes my son has had 2 and this new puppy will be a joy too.. hugs..Patty
Hi Patty! Enjoy that new puppy
Oh yes, I can be quite the whiner myself. But there is hope because I’ll keep trying.
Thank you for visiting,
Ceil
Gotta love that God chose such regular folks and that He didn’t whitewash their flaws in His Word. So many good ones to poke gentle fun at until I realize that I am guilty of it all, too.
Hi Vee! You are so right. We are all so incredibly loved, aren’t we? And how gracious he is to show us that we are not alone in our doubts and complaints. I love that!
Thank you for your visit today
Ceil
What a great reminder that God is always listening and isn’t afraid of our complaints!
Hi Gretchen! It is nice to know that God understands our weakness, and can see past the whining to the fear. I love that so much. He knows why we are afraid, and can help us get to our goal of love.
Happy Thursday!
Ceil
Ceil, I stopped by to whine about Blogger b/c it appears your recent, awesome comment won’t post :l But after reading this, I’ll suck it up! (Not really but I’ll spare everyone my complaints.) Blessings, Diane
Hi Diane! Oh brother, don’t you just want to complain when that stuff happens? My blogger was so slow yesterday, I wondered if they were doing maintenance on the site. I’ll bet by now the issue is resolved. I hope so anyway!
Thank you for coming on by today Diane
Ceil
I don’t know how He puts up with me! LOL In adoration, I have this 15 Minutes with Our Lord booklet. And you know what? He begs us, as a children, to come to him and “whine”. But the way He wants us to talk to Him ends up coming across as soothing, gentle. Toward the end, (and you may be familiar with this booklet), He does encourage us to reflect on the blessings we received lately and to remember our prayers of thanksgiving. I just wish I would stop whining during the day to offer up in Thanksgiving my small “tribulation” because when I stop and think about it…it really isn’t all that bad.
Hi Patty! I am not familiar with that book, I’ll have to look it up on Amazon. (I was just at Adoration tonight!) I think its true that God is happy that we come to him with ANY emotion we have, with the hopes that his grace will transform us into the warriors we all can be.
And that’s true too, our trials are often not that terrible in hindsight. It’s just at the time they seem so exhausting!
Blessings to you, my friend
Ceil
Thank you for this, Ms Ceil. I whine at times and forget the good things my parents do for me. And my mother always teaches me to be thankful, no matter what. I am still learning
Hi Farida! Join the club. I think anyone at any age is vulnerable to whining. But the idea here is that it shouldn’t make you sad, or feel like God won’t hear. He will still use us as long as we keep trying. Just like you and me!
Happy Sunday! Thank you for your visit today
Ceil