Just a few days ago, our family gathered around a sumptuous Thanksgiving table for a special celebration. I doubt that any of us, me included, were as thankful as we should have been. Knowing the war situation in the Middle East, we should have been thankful that no one with an AK-47 broke down my door to take us hostage. And no one, broke into the house to steal and ravage my home. Am I truly thankful for the privilege of living in peace?

Knowing that thousands of people die each day from hunger, we should have been more thankful for all the food. A recent UN World Food Programme report noted, “In Afghanistan, 4 million women and children are severely malnourished.” People in many African nations are experiencing famine and therefore a lack of food. Am I truly thankful for the privilege of eating three meals a day?

Knowing that hundreds of people are lonely and suffering from depression, thinking no one cares, I should have been more thankful that I was surrounded by people who love and care for me. Besides my family with me for Thanksgiving, I had a couple of phone calls, numerous emails, ecards, and texts, and a visit from a friend. Was I sincerely grateful for these expressions of love and concern?

Psychologists tell us that there are benefits to living a life of thankfulness. A Presbyterian pastor recently sat next to a psychologist while traveling by air. The psychologist explained that living a thankful life even changes patterns in the brain, which can help our overall health. Other articles say that thankfulness can reduce stress, relieve anxiety, promote good sleep, ease depression, improve immunity, and assist in heart health and chronic pain. It’s no wonder that God’s Word says, “A joyful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22, ESV).

While in prison for preaching the gospel, the apostle Paul said, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV). Wow!  According to Paul, the benefits of prayer with thanksgiving are healthy hearts and minds.

As widows, we tend to think about and wish for the days when our husbands were alive during holiday times and when life was not so complicated. But it’s during these difficult times when thankfulness provides us with its greatest benefits. With God’s help, I’m going to make a concerted effort to be more thankful for what I have rather than concentrating on what I am lacking.