In the Midst of Darkness, We Have a Living Hope

There is no denying that this week has been a heavy one. The attack on a group of Jews in Sydney, Australia was horrific, and as an Australian myself, it fills me with deep grief to see such hatred and violence unfold in my home country. Our world feels saturated with darkness, and if I’m honest, it often feels as though that darkness is growing heavier by the day.

In moments like these, it can feel almost jarring to celebrate Christmas. How do we sing songs of joy when the world is hurting so deeply? Yet as I reflected on this tension, I sensed a gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit: now, more than ever, the message of Christmas must be proclaimed — clearly, boldly, and without hesitation.

Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:3–4:
“In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you…”

The phrase living hope has been echoing in my heart. No matter how dark the world becomes, we are not without hope. Ours is not a fragile or fading optimism — it is a living hope. A hope that breathes. A hope that endures. A hope that is just as alive today as it was over 2,000 years ago.

That living hope has a name: Jesus. The One who stepped into our brokenness, not as a conquering king, but as a vulnerable baby. The One who came to rescue humanity from sin, from despair, and from itself.

As we wrestle with the evil we see around us, we must remember where our hope truly lies. Our hope is not in our circumstances. It is not in what tomorrow may or may not bring. It is not in governments, nations, or worldly systems. Our hope is in Jesus — yesterday, today, and forever. And that truth becomes even more profound as we draw closer to Christmas Day.

If you find yourself weary or overwhelmed by the state of the world, I invite you to pause and remember what this season is really about: a living hope, born in humility, crucified in love, and raised in victory. Through Him, we are given the gift of forgiveness, renewal, and eternal life.

That, my friend, is truly good news — and it is a hope the darkness can never overcome.