My Anthem For 2023
by Seneca Moraleda-Puguan
“I earnestly pray that 2022 will be a year when we can finally breathe and be free.”
I remember writing these words in my first article for the year 2022.
The beginning of the year was marked with confident expectation that the year 2022 would be better after a very difficult ordeal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Countries have started to ease restrictions. People started to gather. Masks could already be removed in some nations. There was so much hope for a better and brighter new year. But just as we were about to pick up the pieces, a war broke out in Eastern Europe which caused a ripple effect of crises, altering the course of human history.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of last year had been the catalyst of a worldwide crisis that continue to affect families and ravage nations until now. Like a domino, it worsened an already existing energy crisis that further led to a global economic downfall, dampening our hopes for recovery from a catastrophic pandemic.
Added to this the disastrous impacts of intense weather changes and unexpected natural disasters–destructive wildfires in many countries during the summer, deadly snowstorms in winter, eruption of volcanoes that have been inactive for many years, devastating typhoons and earthquakes that take hundreds of lives.
Not only these, racial injustice and divisive political opinions have been exposed causing chaotic outcomes.
To say 2022 had been a challenging and difficult year is an understatement. But during a very tough year, I have seen how God had been so good to me and my family. Despite the rising prices of commodities and living expenses, never have we felt forsaken and forgotten.
I praise God for His overflowing provision that never fails to see us through, for His supernatural protection that keep us and allow us to see another day, and simply for being a good, good Father. I hope you can see His goodness in the seemingly insignificant moments and things in your life, too.
This 2023, as I’ve always done for the past years of my life, I will choose to fix my eyes not on my circumstances, the events happening around me, or what the world dictates but on the One who has set the stars in place, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Giver of life.
I will choose not to focus on the what, when, why and how but on the Who. I’ve always heard and read this, cliché as it may seem, but I hold on to this truth: we do not know what the future holds but we know who holds the future, therefore we can be confident as we face a new season.
Indeed, just as the night falls, the sun never fails to rise. The winter cold ravages but spring flowers bloom after.
I started my article for the year 2022 with the song, New Beginnings by Every Nation Music.
“This is the day of new beginnings, the old is passing, change is coming by Your Spirit. It’s a new season of revealing Your Word is true and You will never ever fail. Your presence will lead us.”
This song ends with the following words: “He’s never failed me yet, He’s never failed me yet. My heart and my soul confess, God is my confidence. He’s never failed me yet.”
And this is my anthem for 2023. Because He has never failed me yet, my soul is anchored in Him, my hope is set on Him.
The world will continue to be a dark place to live in. Life will continue to throw curveballs along the way. Things will never get easier. But this world is not our home. Our hope is not the things of this world. Our hope is a Person–the reason why we celebrated Christmas, and He is the reason why we can be confident as we face a new year. May we all have an unshakable hope in His unfailing love.
This is my prayer for you. This 2023, “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26) In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Declaring a prosperous and a blessed 2023 upon you and your family! Happy New year!
