Finding Your Anthem – What’s the Soundtrack of Your Life?
Palm Sunday 2025. The start of Holy Week. A day to reflect not just on the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem, but on the bigger question: What is the anthem of your life?
We all have songs that have become part of our personal soundtracks. For me, one of those songs is Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve. I was in my mid-twenties when I first heard it. The strings, the words, the energy – it was an anthem for my generation. It was everywhere: in films, TV dramas, adverts, football highlight reels. But there’s more to that story.
After the song’s release, The Verve were pulled into a legal battle. The Rolling Stones claimed a string section had been taken from one of their songs. The Stones won, and the royalties went to them. It was a bitter blow for lead singer Richard Ashcroft – yet it was also strangely poetic. Years later, in 2019, the Stones gave the royalties back. What was bitter became sweet again.
Here’s the point: we all have an anthem. Some parts of it may be bitter. Others will be sweet. But our lives are shaped by something – a purpose, a calling, a sound that resonates deep in our soul.
Palm Sunday is a moment when Jesus had an anthem declared over Him. Crowds waved palms and shouted praise as He entered Jerusalem. They were singing His anthem, even if they didn’t yet fully understand it.
As we step into Holy Week, I want to encourage you to reflect on your own anthem. What has God placed inside of you? What song are you singing with your life?
Is your anthem one of service? Of creativity? Of leadership? Is it justice, compassion, worship, generosity? What drives you, inspires you, keeps you up at night, or gets you out of bed in the morning?
Here’s the challenge: Don’t settle for a cheap imitation. The world, our flesh, and even the enemy will try to feed us alternative anthems – ones rooted in selfish ambition, fear, or comfort. I know – I’ve heard those anthems too. I’ve had nights in clubs during the acid house movement where the bass was booming, but the purpose was empty.
When I gave my life to Jesus, I discovered a new anthem. A calling I’d never considered. I used to want money – growing up in the poorest family in a middle-class suburb can do that to you. I never liked vicars. Thought they were a bit odd, if I’m honest.
But when I surrendered to Christ, I began to hear a different sound. A deeper calling. That calling – to serve, to lead, to love – became my anthem.
This Easter, ask God to reveal your anthem. Sit with Him. Wait in silence. Say, “Lord, help me hear the sound You’ve placed inside me.” And when you find it – don’t let go.
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