Messages of Hope
Real stories. Real hope.
Listen to the episode
‘When driving in the Australian bush and you see a kangaroo on the road, all the old farmers used to tell me that it’s not the one you see that will get you, it’s the one you don’t see. So, is life just a random set of coincidences? I believe that life is more than just getting by.’
We don’t have to look too hard to discover disasters happening all around the world. But what about closer to home? Maybe you’ve been in a car accident, had an injury at work, or experienced the sudden death of someone you love. It‘s very difficult to get through disasters like these, sometimes it seems impossible.
John Henderson shares his insights about a tragedy that was close to him, and how there can still be hope.
Key takeaways from this episode
Life’s unpredictability: The story of a childhood trip illustrates how random events (like a fatal boulder accident) can change lives forever, raising the question of fairness in suffering and tragedy.
‘It’s not fair’ moments: We all face monumental changes or losses that leave us with no way back. These moments shape our lives permanently.
Randomness vs meaning: While life can appear as a string of random coincidences, living with that belief alone leads to despair. Humans crave meaning, balance, and hope.
Nick Cave’s paradox: His song Into My Arms wrestles with belief in an ‘interventionist God’ yet still functions as a prayer—showing how love and longing for meaning push us toward faith.
Christian perspective: Faith sees God as personally invested in our lives, especially revealed at Golgotha (Jesus’ death). This event demonstrates God’s passionate love and commitment to giving humanity a second chance.
God’s intervention: Whether or not we perceive him as ‘interventionist,’ God’s love is constant, patient, and personal accompanying us even into death.
Faith as a gift: Belief isn’t based solely on reason or scientific evidence; it is a gift from God. Faith doesn’t discard reason but chooses to trust in Jesus as the ultimate source of good.
Hope through Christ: Through Jesus, despair is replaced with hope, loneliness with belonging, and fear with the comfort of God’s love.
Episode transcript
Click to view PDF transcript
Related booklet
Contentment in this world is an elusive thing. Even with our necessities met and a few perks thrown in for good measure, it can still feel like something’s missing.
The truth of the matter is there will always be a void if we tie our sense of inner peace to the fleeting things of this world.
Offering insight on some key practices to implement concerning contentment, this booklet considers how being truly satisfied is very much tied to our perspective.
Watch related video
Did this give you some hope today?
Consider donating so we can continue creating resources to share hope with others.
Have hope-filled messages delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our weekly Messages of hope email.
- 1800 353 350
- enquiry@messagesofhope.org.au
- PO Box 731, North Adelaide SA 5006
- 197 Archer Street, North Adelaide SA 5006