No Whine Zone

If you have ever been around young children, you have experienced whining. It goes with the territory. Some of them are such experts that the timbre of their voices can make your skin crawl like chalk squeaking on a chalkboard. Most children aren’t born being thankful. It is something they learn, and the opposite of thankfulness is, you guessed it, whining.

I’ve discovered in my lifetime, though, that adults are just as proficient at whining as children are. Rather than rolling out of bed with thankfulness on our lips, we often fall out with a whine or two.

• “Don’t tell me it’s Monday already!”

• “Do you have to turn that light on?”

• “I don’t want to mow the lawn today.”

• “We are out of milk. Really?”

• “Who left these dishes in the sink?”

• “Oh, my aching back!”

• “Where’s my coffee!”

You get the picture.

We cover our whines with the excuse that we are just not morning people.

I thought about whining this morning as I read Psalm 92.

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: ² To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night (Psalm 92:1, 2, KJV).

That certainly does not describe whining.

What if I got out of bed every morning giving thanks and singing praise to God, showing His lovingkindness? I bet that would change the morning atmosphere.

God says giving thanks in the morning is a good thing for me to do, so maybe it is something I should practice. Verse four of the same psalm says that God has made me glad through His work, that I will triumph in the works of His hands.

What has God done?

I only need look at creation to see the enormity of His work and the amazing beauty of creativity. But, beyond that, He has given His Son for my salvation. Every moment of every day my soul is indebted to His mercy and grace for His unfailing love. That alone will make me rejoice throughout eternity.

So, this morning I am leaving the whining behind and choosing to sing for joy at all that God has done. He is a mighty God, and His goodness far surpasses the temporary ills of this life. When nighttime comes, I want to still be singing instead of whining.

He is my Rock, and I will cling to Him.

Won’t you join me?

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. ² It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! ⁴I sing for joy because of what you have done (Psalm 92:1,2,4, NLT).

Photo – Spring Blossom, Beth Mims