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“But daddy … I can’t” whined my daughter from the other room.
I was sure what she really meant to say was, “I don’t wanna do it” but her favorite phrase was “I can’t.” She couldn’t brush her teeth. She couldn’t clean her room. She couldn’t lay down for a nap. She couldn’t clear her dishes. It didn’t matter what we asked her, she just “Couldn’t do it.”
Sure she was only four years old, but she had taken on a mentality of, “I can’t.” Which we were dealing with by having her quote Philippians 4:19. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
The bigger issue for my husband at the moment was the whining that accompanied the “I can’t” attitude.
When my kids were little, especially my daughter, they had perfected the art of whining. They had it down to a “T.”
My husband would say: “if you can see me or I can hear you – you are in a whine free zone.”
About a month ago, my husband asked a question during his sermon and when I closed the service that Sunday, I gave it as homework for our congregation. I urged people to ask the Holy Spirit – “What are the places in my life I go around?”
The truth is, we all have places or “things” we go around or people we avoid because of hurt, pain, etc. What is yours? It is so important that we face them and we take the time to deal with them so we can be free to receive all God has for us.
As I was processing with the Lord the things I go around in my life, He directed me towards my attitude. Lately I have had an attitude of whining, complaining and grumbling about situations or people. Instead of taking a posture of praise, thanksgiving and hopeful expectation, I was complaining, discouraged and whining.
The children of Israel had the same exact problem. They went from praising God one minute to complaining the next.
The people griped about life in the wilderness, how hard they felt things were for them, and these evil complaints came up to the ears of the Eternal One. He was furious about this ingratitude, faithlessness, and lack of vision. His anger was kindled, and His fire raged among them and devoured some of the camp’s perimeter (Numbers 11:1 TPT)
They had just left the mountain of God and were on the way to the Promise Land, a land God promised them was flowing with Milk and Honey. However, they went back to their own attitudes and mindsets of complaining, whining, grumbling and murmuring.
God became angry with them because of three things: ingratitude, faithlessness, and lack of vision. He had finally had enough of their complaints and he dealt with it.
As I read this verse, I realized that I suffer occasionally from these same things. How about you?
Let me break it down a little more to get a clearer picture.
Ingratitude
Simply put, they were ungrateful. They had a lack of gratitude for the things God had already done for them. God had repeatedly responded to their complaints by giving them what they wanted, but it didn’t make them grateful. In fact, they were too busy looking at what they didn’t have instead of looking at what they did have. It doesn’t take long to go from praising to complaining.
It doesn’t take long to go from praising to complaining Click To Tweet
Faithlessness
Yes, the children of Israel were faithless. They were disloyal and untrustworthy. The were happy one minute because God gave them what they wanted, but in the next they became mad because they didn’t like something. God repeatedly took care of them, and they chose not to remember and believe that he would do it again. They couldn’t seem to break out of the old patterns of their mind and trust God had already taken care of them and He would continue to do so. They chose to focus on the negative and look to the past when they were slaves in Egypt. They complained they were better off in Eqypt as slaves than they were with God in the wilderness. They were feeding the fire of old patterns and mindsets and giving the past more power than trusting God with their future.
What you focus on you empower. Click To Tweet
Lack of Vision
Often times when we hear this phrase, “Lack of vision” we think of Proverbs 29:18. It is often in reference to leadership lacking vision and therefore a lack of vision for the people to follow. However, God was saying that the people lacked personal vision. You and I must take responsibility for vision in our own life. We can’t always look to the church leaders and those in authority to give us a vision and purpose. We must take responsibility for ourselves and our life. The children of Israel where too busy blaming God, Moses and Aaron for the situation instead of asking what they could do to bring change. We must go to God and ask Him, “What’s Your vision for MY Life?”
Ask God to give you a personal vision for your life. Click To Tweet
“Negativity, Murmuring, & Complaining hinder you from accessing the full riches of heaven.” — Patricia King from her book “Accessing the Riches of Heaven.”
When a new crisis or situation occurred, the children of Israel seemed to have amnesia. They somehow forgot that God had always made a way and provided for them. I think we sometimes forget it too. This is a powerful truth that we need to focus on: God cares for us, and the riches of heaven are accessible to us right now, and it’s not just pertaining to money. In fact, money is the least important of the riches of heaven. The riches of heaven consist of, but are not limited to health, wholeness, salvation, peace, spiritual gifts, the fruits of the spirit and every good and perfect gift from God that is available to us in Christ Jesus.
Are there areas of your life you have been murmuring, whining or complaining?
Are these the same areas you need to see breakthrough in?
If so, it may be time to confess, repent and seek God so He can move unhindered, in your life.
Are there areas in your life that you have been murmuring, whining or complaining? Click To Tweet
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Debbie Kitterman is a natural born encourager who is on fire for God. She is passionate about equipping individuals, so they can go deeper in the relationship with God, reach their God-potential and claim their Kingdom inheritance. Debbie is a wife, mother, author, pastor, speaker and the founder of “Dare 2 Hear,” a ministry that trains individuals to hear the voice of God. She travels to churches internationally and is the founder and teacher of d2htraining.com, an online course designed to equip the believer in releasing God’s heart. Her writing and teachings inspire faith and build bridges for people to believe and expect the impossible. She is also an ordained Foursquare pastor, currently serving with her husband, John, as senior pastor of Restoration Church in Lacey, Washington. Learn more at: www.debbiekitterman.com
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Debbie,
Right before I began reading you post, I was whining. I’ve had a summer cold (the worst) that has lingered on forever. I was just complaining to God and voila…your post. I need to be asking, “God, what is YOUR vision for my life?” Maybe there is something I need to learn in this “down” time I’m experiencing. Perhaps looking back over all the times He’s been faithful to me would give me an attitude adjustment. I love the idea of a “No Whining Zone”. I need to establish my home as one!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Bev, I am so sorry to hear you have had a summer cold. I pray it is gone by now and that you are feeling better. I declare healing over you in Jesus name. I find that it is so easy to get caught whining, even sometimes it might be justified, but it’s still not beneficial… I’ve been learning it the hard way. I pray that God shows you if you need to learn something. Yes, take the idea and establish a Whine Free Zone in your home! You will be so glad you did. Blessings
Thank you, Debbie, for cooperating with the Holy Spirit to yank me into awareness of that tiny, slippery slope into whining.
I’m very hard on the people of Israel whenever I read the Old Testament, but I’m afraid that we are more alike than I want to acknowledge.
You are most welcome Michele. I have been on that slippery slope for a few months… ok – probably longer. I have pray I have learned my lessons. And just now you are in good company, I too have been hard on the people of Israel, when I have been guilty of some of the same things. yikes
We’d all do well to be in your husband’s whine free zone. 🙂 I tend to forget that complaining is the same thing as ingratitude. Thanks for the reminder today, Debbie. I don’t want to be whiner.
I agree with you Lisa. I also tend to forget they are the same thing. You are most welcome for the reminder too. 🙂
Oh how easy it is to slip into complaining, we are more apt at looking at what we want not what we have. My daughter was a bit of a whiner too, Love the idea of a whine free zone. Many Thanks 8)
Debra –
Oh man, I am so amazed at how very easy it is to slip into complaining. The idea of a whine free zone is brilliant, shhhh – just don’t tell my husband. LOL 🙂
What you focus on, you empower. I will be thinking about this for a while. laurensparks.net
Lauren, it’s a good one isn’t it. 🙂
Debbie, sometimes whiney buckets as I like to call them are just tired. The children of Israel angered God when they refused His rest. We’ve got to get in there, Hebrews 4. Great post, I don’t think anybody likes whining. My mother’s phrase, ” Shine! Don’t whine! ” We need the Holy Spirit to help here, Jesus didn’t turn the water into whine.
Rebecca – whiney buckets – I like that phrase. LOL I absolutely love your mom’s phrase – what a great quote! We so need the Holy Spirit – desperately so. So love all your quotes, one liners and the wisdom in your comment. Thank you!
Well, you found something I’m great at: whining & complaining! LOL
I’m learning to make better choices, but it can be so easy to slip into those childish habits. I’m so grateful for God’s grace with me in the process!
Oh No Rebecca.. lol — I think at different times in my life, I might have been considered an expert in those two items. Making better choices is an excellent start and throw in grace and it’s a winning combination! Blessings
Oh yes, I am guilty of whining from time to time. I love what you said, “What you focus on you empower.” Great wisdom and truth. Blessings, Maree
Thank you Maree! Our thoughts are powerful, just like our words. We must be careful what we think and what we say. Blessings
I am relating to this post so much! While I shake my head at the behavior of the children of Israel, the truth is that I fall into some of the same whiny behavior when times are tough.
Elizabeth, I too fall into the same behavior as the children of Israel. I pray I get better every day. Blessings and thanks for sharing your thoughts too.