The Lodestar

An Age of Anxiety

Today, even the most popular song on social media is about anxiety. I can’t help but notice how true that is—how worry seems to follow us like a shadow. Sometimes, it feels as if worry and anxiety will stay with us all our days, rather than goodness and mercy (Psalm 23:6). But jokes aside, this is real. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of 2019, nearly 301 million people worldwide were living with an anxiety disorder. That accounts for 4% of the global population—the most common mental health condition in the world. Now consider this: with Christians making up about 31% of the global population, that could mean nearly 93 million believers also struggle with anxiety. Even with all our faith. Even with the Word in our hearts.

The Faith and Fear Paradox

We know the verses: “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? (Matthew 6:25). “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul” (Psalm 94:19). The Bible contains over 100 verses about anxiety, fear, and peace. So, why does it still hold us back? Here’s what I’ve learned: even when we are born again in spirit, our mind and body remain susceptible to old patterns. Sin is not always loud—sometimes, it’s simply the tendency to return to what feels familiar: fear, worry, doubt. This isn’t just a spiritual truth—psychology refers to it as “conditioned behaviour”. Anxiety and faith are opposites—worry fears the unknown, but faith rests in God despite it.

The Way Out

So, how do we break the cycle? Gratitude is the secret door. David gives us the pattern: “I will enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!” (Psalm 100:4). Before even stepping into praise, we start with gratitude. The gate is not just a metaphor—it is a spiritual posture. Gratitude is how we approach the very presence of God. More Than Manners Here’s the mystery unveiled: Gratitude is more than good manners. It is worship. It is warfare. It is the greatest joy and deepest offering God desires from us. Science supports it, too. Neuroscience shows that gratitude reduces anxiety by calming the brain’s fear centre (the amygdala). When your mind is fixed on thankfulness, it cannot hold space for fear. The two cannot coexist.

The True Exit

Gratitude is how we leave anxiety behind. It is the posture of the blessed, the language of the faithful, and the joy of the Father. In a world chasing peace, here’s the little secret: Gratitude is not just the path to happiness—it is the way to holiness.

(Sheba Mathew is a speech-language pathologist based in Vancouver, Canada, who finds joy in words and the wonder of the mind. She sees creativity as a divine gift and embraces her highly sensitive nature as a lens that brings depth, colour, and compassion to everything she does.)