Read the Introduction for “Gratitude Is…,” by Daniella Whyte
For the past year, I have been on an intentional journey of discovering what gratitude is. From a previous book that I compiled and edited two years ago, I have carefully looked at Scripture, research, articles, and quotes about what gratitude is, what it means to be grateful, and the effects it has on and in our lives when we choose it. While gratitude is many things, I have discovered that gratitude is much more than an idea, much more than a feeling, and much more than a simple thank you. It is a way of life that does not often come naturally, but can be developed, cultivated, and nurtured on a daily basis.
This journey has been much more than just a study of Bible verses or a research project. For me, this journey is a personal journey — one that I am still on. As in most journeys that lead to a fruitful place, this uphill climb is not easy. From time to time, God, in His grace and mercy, will show me things that are not right in my heart, responses to situations that are less than reflective of a grateful attitude, and thoughts that are not up to the standards I encourage others to live by.
This process is very much needed in my life. And I am grateful that God uses people and situations to bring me out of my own finite perspective into a perspective that is more beautiful and beneficial than I could ever imagine. Many people have already proven that no experience in life, whether outward or inward, good or bad, is ever wasted if we learn from it and strive to make the changes.
There is a reason that the Bible is replete with admonitions and commands to be grateful. Gratitude is an often overlooked virtue, but it is not an overlooked biblical principle. God warrants appreciation and doing so draws us closer to Him and allows us to experience certain inner and outer blessings that we may not otherwise experience. Gratitude is very close to grace and grace is very close to the heart of God. We are all living because of grace, and God, in all His glory and power, wants us to feel gratitude in our hearts in such a way that it forces us to express it at any given time.
Gratitude Is… is an opportunity for you to discover the things I discovered about gratitude. It is an invitation to join me on this journey of developing a lifestyle of gratitude and experiencing the joy and freedom that such a lifestyle brings. Gratitude brings more than just a new attitude to situations, it brings a new heart, a new mind, and a new outlook on life.
While gratitude brings many blessings, both seen and unseen, if I am not careful, I can fall back into ingratitude. I can start focusing on what is going wrong instead of what is going right, what I don’t have instead of what I do have. A lack of gratitude pulls us into doubt, fear, depression, worry, bitterness, frustration, selfishness and complaining. All of these things tear at our lives and keep us confined to a dangerous cycle of negative thoughts and behaviors that hinder us from making progress and living the abundant life that is ours to live.
Choosing gratitude saves us from all these feelings. It holds us back from falling into these attitudes that our human nature pulls us to – attitudes of entitlement, pride, and greed. Gratitude causes us to see the best even in the worst situations. It gives us joy for the journey, contentment beyond measure, and a wonderful perspective on life. It is easy to say with our mouth, I’m going to be grateful, but it is a consistent, mindful, heartfelt decision that actually causes us to live life in a grateful manner.
In Gratitude Is… you will find that gratitude is joy, contentment, peace, freedom, and a host of other things that are too numerous to name. Gratitude is… also a wonderful way of life that requires us to make a daily choice that not only benefits us, but also can inspire the people around us to experience gratitude in their own lives.
As we will see in the pages of this book, gratitude is not just something we do; it offers us something in return. It changes our lives, our minds, and our perspectives if we let it. Firmly planted in God’s grace, gratitude changes our response to everything in life. Even when things are not the best, gratitude beckons us to sing “it is well, it is well with my soul.”
So join me as we embark on an adventure of discovering what Gratitude Is. I hope that this journey will help you to experience all of the benefits that gratitude has to offer and will draw you closer to living the wonderful life that we all have an opportunity to live.
