Vocabulary

"But we your people, the sheep of your pasture,

will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise." Psalm 79:13 (ESV) 

The words “give thanks” appear in the Bible 62 times. The book of Psalms alone mentions it 37 times. Giving thanks should be part of our vocabulary. 

How do you build a vocabulary? You review the words regularly until you fix them in your memory. We know how to build a vocabulary because we do it organically in our lives. We listen, read words that our friends are using and we basically repeat them. We watch the news, we read it and we follow up with commentary about what’s being said in the media. Those words become part of our vocabulary, even the words we don’t like very much.

During an early morning run, I was listening to a Podcast. The host was describing the pandemic as “unprecedented times.” A friend who was running next to me told me she was tired of the word unprecedented. That word became part of many people’s vocabulary, no matter how little we enjoyed it. 

Words of thanks can become part of our vocabulary just as easy. The key is not waiting for the media or even our friends to use such words. We need to rely on God’s words and God’s ways to guide us. 

If giving thanks seems foreign to you, read the book of Psalms. See how different writers express their thanks. Build your vocabulary as you pray. Build it as you talk to people in your life. God is pleased when we follow His commands. 

Prayer: Lord, I want to be a thankful person all the time. I give thanks to you for allowing me to be part of this 40-day no complaint challenge. I have so many other reasons to give you thanks. I pray that thanksgiving will be a strong part of my vocabulary. In Jesus’ name, Amen.