Does to stop whining mean you are not allowed to cry, feel anger, or be sad?  Are we to never go to the Lord with our worries, anxieties, or weariness of others?  Of course not! Psalm 62:8 tells us to pour out our hearts to the Lord.

When my daughter first started her whining trend (You can read about that here), my initial attempts to get her to stop were unsuccessful, and I began to worry. I found myself wondering would she ever learn to stop? Was it my own parenting skills that were failing? How long is it going to take to teach her whining is not acceptable?

As my questions and worry began to build I did the following:

I called my parents and grumbled about how tired she was making me with her whining.

I talked to a co-worker in the hall about the parenting struggle I was currently going through.

I started googling articles on how to deal with a whiny toddler.

There is nothing wrong with seeking godly counsel from others, and there are many great articles and books on raising toddlers. But, there is something wrong with not going to God first when facing a struggle. I was complaining, worrying to others, and reading the internet before God’s Word; that’s whining! Instead, I should have hit my knees in prayer with the Bible open in front of me and talked to God; that’s pouring your heart out. Can you see the difference? Whining draws us away from God, pouring out our heart brings us to Him.  When we are pouring out our hearts, we are seeking Him. When we whine, God is far from our minds and hearts.

Pouring out his heart, and seeking God first is exactly what David does throughout the book of Psalm. Take a look at Psalm 86 HERE.  David tells his problems to the Lord and asks for guidance and deliverance. David feels anger, anxiety, depression, and fears; but he does not hold those feelings back when speaking to the Lord! God already knows how we feel. He sees what’s in our hearts, but when we go to Him of our own free will, with complete honesty, that’s showing a trust the Lord desires we have with Him.

God wants to be our confidant, secret-keeper, and best friend. He longs for a relationship with us, and wants us to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly with Him. When we feel the need to whine, pouring it out to Him should be the first action we take!