The Happy Days and the Ones That Aren'tSample

Have you ever felt hopeless? Maybe it was when you lost hope that your sports team would win, that you’d get that passing grade in your hardest class, or that a friendship would be restored. No matter the reason, if you’ve felt it, you know how quickly that feeling of hopelessness can spiral into despair. The good news is that we aren’t the first people to get caught in this spiral.

The world Jesus was born into thousands of years ago was marked by feelings like this. It was filled with broken people and desperate to find hope again. That makes the angel's words recorded in Luke so powerful for us today. The angel wasn’t just declaring the birth of Jesus; he was declaring that Jesus’ arrival would bring lasting hope and joy into the world. Does that mean nothing bad will ever happen? That we’ll never have a reason to despair again? Unfortunately not! But it means we have access to a Savior who can fill us with deep joy and real hope no matter what comes our way.

Today, spend some time talking to a friend, Small Group Leader, or parent about how hope (specifically, the hope we have in Jesus!) can change how you face challenging circumstances or feelings of despair.