Dear despairing young person (4),

I’m so thankful that you’re still reading these letters because today I have some more wonderful news for you.  Maybe sometimes you feel that life is pointless, just a cycle we’re trapped in. You get up, you go to school, you come home, do some homework, maybe play some sport/work on the farm, and then its bed and back up again the next morning for a repeat. Where’s it all going? What’s the point?

The good news is that we are heading somewhere.  There is a day coming when God is going to make all things new! Now you might be thinking “you’ve lost the plot”, or that this is just wishful thinking? But please bear with me! Do you know why this isn’t just wishful thinking? Jesus Christ rose physically from the dead.  If he hadn’t, you would never have heard of him and the whole Jesus movement would have fizzled out in a few years.  I became so convinced of this that I left my job as a lawyer, to become a clergyman.

But how does Jesus’ resurrection help us not to despair? It’s a bit like the snowdrops pushing through the ground at the moment give us a glimmer of hope that spring is on the way. Jesus’ resurrection is the glimmer of hope that death is not the end.  And if death is not the end, then we are heading somewhere.  The reason life often feels like something is missing is that we are made for more than just this life.  And if death is not the end, then however bad you are feeling, taking your own life is not the answer, it won’t end things, and it won’t make things any better.

But if life is heading somewhere, then just as the snowdrops and daffodils give us hope of spring, Jesus’ resurrection is a glimmer of hope that means the best is still to come.

Please come back with any questions, and I’ll aim to write to you again next week. May you have a good weekend, and if you’re local, don’t forget you’re welcome at our youth group tonight where we’ll be thinking more about what I wrote in the first letter – that you are precious because you are made in God’s image.

Next Letter:

Dear despairing young person (5)

Earlier letters:

Dear despairing young person

Dear despairing young person (2)

Dear despairing young person (3)

You can send me a message here if you want to ask a question or if you’d like me to pray for you. And I’m sure you know that there’s lots of people who would be only too willing to talk to you, here’s some other places you can turn for help if you are concerned about yourself or anyone else:

• 24 hour helpline – 1800 247247

• Text “Help” to 51444

• Samaritans 116123

• Your local GP or North East Dr on Call 1850 777911

• Gardai 999

You can find more information here