What the Stranger Things Finale Got Me Thinking About Faith and Nostalgia

Let me start with a quick disclaimer. Stranger Things is not a Christian show, and I’m not here to pretend it is. There are definitely moments and themes that make it a show I wouldn’t recommend for kids and honestly, parts of it can be unsettling even for adults.

That said… who am I to say that God can’t speak to me through a TV show?

Two themes have shown up again and again throughout Stranger Things: friendship and parenting. Chosen family. Adults stepping in where parents can’t. Friends learning how to protect one another as they grow up. (And yes—Steve Harrington deserves his own category here.)

🚨 There are a few light spoilers ahead, so consider this your heads up. 🚨

In the final season, there’s a moment where Eleven finally tells Hopper that he has to believe in her. Hopper responds with this emotional, heart-wrenching confession about how her childhood was stolen, how he’s tried to protect her, how scared he is of losing her.

That scene stuck with me.

First, it made me think about parenting and faith. As parents or mentors, or leaders, or older siblings, we can’t hand our faith to the next generation and expect it to work by proximity alone. We can teach them about Jesus, model what it looks like to follow Him, and pray like crazy. But at some point, they have to believe for themselves. Not in us but in the power of Jesus at work in them.

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” | Proverbs 22:6

The second thing that hit me was more personal.

We say we believe Jesus can save, heal, restore, and lead us. But do we live like we actually believe that? Hopper loved Eleven deeply, but his fear caused him to hold her back. And it made me wonder: how often do we ask Jesus to work in our lives while doubting that He really will?

…yeah.

Then there’s the nostalgia.

Stranger Things is drenched in it. The 80s setting. The bikes. The music. The hundreds of references to old movies and TV shows. There’s this ache for childhood and innocence, especially knowing how much has changed since the show first aired more than a decade ago.

And it made me wonder why nostalgia hits us so deeply. Why remembering being a kid can feel comforting and sad all at once.

Then this verse came to mind:

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” | 1 John 3:1

Psychologists say nostalgia brings comfort because it reminds us of a time when we felt cared for and safe. Childhood. And Scripture tells us that God calls us His children, not because He wants us to stay stuck in the past, but because He cares for us now.

There’s also a warning in Scripture about living there:

“Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is not wise to ask such questions.” | Ecclesiastes 7:10

I don’t think nostalgia itself is the problem. Remembering the good is a gift. The danger is letting it convince us that our best days are behind us.

The timing of this finale right at the start of a new year felt a bit much. Many of us are already reflecting on time, change, and how quickly life moves.

So here’s the encouragement I walked away with: treasure the memories. Be grateful for where you’ve been.

This life can feel overwhelming. Sometimes it makes us want to stay kids forever. But Scripture reminds us that while God calls us His children, He’s also always inviting us forward.

You have no idea what the Lord is going to do next. Like helping you find a new TV show to watch, haha. Too soon?

Alaina Goode

Hey, I'm Alaina!

Or some would call me Laney. I'm from small town friendly Forest City, NC. I love spending time with my family, worship, film, theater, and basically all things music.

God is writing our stories so that every life has a testimony. I want to spend my life creating platforms with others to share these stories and glorify the kingdom of God!