Week Nineteen: Gratitude. May 7 – The Dawning of a Grateful Heart
I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. G.K. Chesterton
Gregg’s Reflection
For the first half of life is spent chasing success, trying to prove yourself, taking credit for everything. One of the powerful shifts in the spiritual journey is the dawning of a grateful heart. Gratitude recognizes how grace empowers our lives. Read on.
The dawning of a grateful heart didn’t come to me as a sudden revelation. It came slowly, like the first light over the mountains, revealing more and more of the landscape as time passed. For years, I was too busy proving myself—striving, competing, and taking credit for every good thing that came my way. But after we sold the business and I began to live into my calling, I started to see with new eyes.
I saw that much of my “success” was really a head start—a father who built a business, an education I didn’t have to fight for, a time in history and place in the world where opportunity was abundant. Even my height, something I had nothing to do with, gave me an advantage in the business world. I realized I had started my climb halfway up the mountain, while others had to begin in the valleys of poverty and hardship.
That recognition softened me. It dissolved pride and opened the door to gratitude. The more I saw how little I had truly “earned” on my own, the more I recognized the quiet, constant presence of grace. And gratitude, once it took root, began to change everything—it loosened my grip on achievement, deepened my joy in the present moment, and widened my heart toward generosity.
Scripture
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 107:1
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17
Ancient Quotes
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.
Epictetus
If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘Thank You,’ that would suffice.
Meister Eckhart, Christian Mystics, Matthew Fox, p. 52
Modern Quotes
I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.
G.K. Chesterton, A Short History of England
Every time we decide to be grateful it will be easier to see new things to be grateful for. Gratitude begets gratitude, just as love begets love.
Henri Nouwen, Life of the Beloved
Journaling Prompts
- When you look at your life, what advantages or blessings can you recognize that you did not earn?
- How does acknowledging these gifts shift your perspective on success?
- What daily practice might help you notice more moments of grace?
- In what ways could gratitude overflow into generosity toward others?
👉 Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 19 Reflections: Gratitude