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Writer's pictureKemi Kodja

5 Bible Verses to Cling Onto in 2023

Happy New Year!!!


I hope your 2023 is off to an amazing start!


As we embark on this new year and you set your goals for the year, I want to encourage you to keep one goal in the midst - and that is prioritizing God more this year. How you do that will look different depending on your lifestyle and the current season you're in, but one thing we can all do more of is cling onto the word of God in 2023.


In this blog post, I will be sharing the 5 Bible Verses I will be clinging onto throughout 2023 and why you should cling onto them too.




1. "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." ~ Proverbs 19:21

Year after year, I have set resolutions and goals that never came to pass. And while I can easily blame myself for not having done the work for them to come to pass, I now realize that these goals never came to pass because they weren't God's will for me at the time I set them. I know this because while I didn't accomplish the goals I had set, there was so much more that I accomplished during the year that was not on my vision board.


We make plans for days, but if we're honest with ourselves, we make those plans without God. We make those plans only thinking about what we want to see come to pass in our lives. Our vision boards are filled with our visions for our year, never considering what God's vision for our year is. This year, I want to challenge you to seek God's vision and purpose for your year before setting goals and resolutions on your own. Don't set yourself up for disappointment at the end of the year, by setting unrealistic expectations for yourself that are not in alignment with God's will for you. Seek Him first because ultimately, His purpose for your year will prevail.


2. "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." ~ Deuteronomy 31:8

This new year, I'm embarking on a new journey that has been nerve wracking because I'm stepping into rooms and spaces that are unfamiliar and unknown. As I navigate through this change, this verse has been so comforting as it reminds me that God has already gone ahead of me in those rooms and He is with me when I walk into them. This verse is a reminder that though I may be nervous and anxious, there's nothing to worry about because God will never leave my side and is with me every single step of the way.


If you can relate and there are doors or seasons you're about to walk into that have you feeling nervous and anxious, cling onto this verse with me. Let it remind you that as you take the scary leaps of faith God is calling you to take, He is with you. He walks ahead of you, and clears the path for you, and literally has your back. You have nothing to worry about, just lean on Him and follow His guidance.


3. "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need." ~ Matthew 6:33

Whenever I find myself overwhelmed by life, this verse always anchors me to what matters most: seeking the Kingdom of God. So many times, we get carried away by the worries of this world: financial issues, relationship issues, health issues, work-related issues. And as much as these issues consume us, they are earthly issues that God has already accounted for and made a plan for. As long as you put God first and prioritize Him in your life, everything else will fall into place.


One thing that I used to fall into was this belief that I was too busy for God. I used to be so stressed out and consumed by all the different things I had to do that I would convince myself that I had too much that was so important and needed to be dealt with first before giving God my time. But the truth of the matter is: no matter how urgent everything else may feel, if you prioritize your relationship with God, everything else will fall into place.


4. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" ~ Philippians 4:6

Listen... life will do what she does best and life.


What that means is... you and I will experience seasons of trials and tribulations in 2023... there's no way around that.


That's the nature of life... there are good seasons and there are bad seasons.


But during those bad seasons, this verse reminds us not to be anxious about anything. Instead, we are instructed to go to God in prayer and pour our hearts out to Him. So throughout this year, no matter what you are going through, cling onto this verse. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, go to God.


5. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

When life starts lifing, and you start to lose hope or get discouraged, it's easy to start questioning what God is doing in your life. Like...


"Lord, I know you know best, but is this really the best route for us to take?"

"Why am I going through this?"

"When will this pain end?"

"When will my waiting season be over?"

"When will it be my turn?"


When these thoughts start consuming you, cling onto this verse and let it be your reminder that God knows the desires of your heart and has good plans for you. Even when it doesn't feel like it, He is working. His plans for you are good, they are not meant to harm you. Even though the process feels painful, discouraging, or draining, God is not purposely inflicting pain on you.


His plans are to prosper you and not to harm you.

His plans are to give you hope and a future.

Cling onto that when you start to doubt this year.


Rooting for you always,


Kemi


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