A Measure of Restoration

A little over a week after the shocking experience of being burglarized, I am finally feel like I'm re-establishing a measure of restoration.   It's almost like going through a rebuilding process (as in Ezra and Nehemiah).

I've taken care of most everything that I can.   I even implemented additional security and was also able to put in some new motion sensor and dawn-to-dusk photocell lights.  When everything gets completed, I will be in a much better place than I was before this all happened.

I am still seeking what it is that God wants me to learn and how he wants me to grow through all of this.

7/5 update - One of the last major tasks was completed today; and it is almost like a having some closure.  I thank God for helping me through and being with me.    Also, it is interesting that I planted two trees today, a lemon tree and a mandarin orange tree.   In some ways, to me, they seem to represent a new beginning.

8/8 - As I was reading "Why, God?"by Chuck Swindoll; what he said about Psalm 11 was a good reminder.  David was essentially saying that on a solid foundation, we are secure, no matter how insecure and chaotic our times may be; and what more solid foundation do we have than as he stated in verse 1 "In the Lord I take refuge."

Ezra 10 and Conclusion

As Ezra prayed, confessed, wept, and bowed down; others joined him.   The people then recognized their sin and unfaithfulness and took steps to address the sin making REPARATIONS, by separating themselves from their pagan wives.  The passage shows that dealing with sin and its consequences can be difficult and challenging.

As an overall conclusion to the book of Ezra, we have seen that throughout the whole restoration and RENEWAL process, God was directly involved (with His Promises - Jer 29:10-11; moving the heart of kings - Cyrus, Darius, Artaxerxes; etc).  The steps we saw in the RENEWAL process were:

• RETURN - It is important to RETURN to God's Promises and Plan and to clean out areas of compromise, seeking His Will and answering His Call
• REBUILD - REBUILDING the altar and foundation shows that worship is key and re-establishing foundations are important; giving God our best and focusing on His Presence
• RESISTANCE/RESTRAINT - When all is going well, RESISTANCE/RESTRAINT can typically come from the Enemy; which may cause setbacks, but have hope that God's Will ultimately prevails
• RESTART - Setbacks and distractions should not stop us entirely; instead be motivated to RESTART from the Word of God, keeping God's perspective and Plans in mind
• REDEDICATE - Like at the completion of the Temple, rededicate everything to God in joy, with purity and holiness
• RECOGNIZE GOD's HAND at WORK - As Ezra was devoted to God and His Word, He was able to continually RECOGNIZE GOD's HAND at WORK and was blessed
• REQUESTS through PRAYER - God answered the REQUESTS through PRAYER of the people as they turned to him in fasting and humility
• REPENT - Like Ezra's example, be so appalled by sin that prayers of confession would lead to REPENTANCE, recognizing that there is no excuse or defense and that "not one...can stand in [His] Presence"
• REPAIR - Address sin and make REPARATIONS

7/1 - The Youth Pastor gave the message on Sunday; and it tied in nicely with Ezra 9 and 10.   He spoke on Taking Sin More Seriously.  Overall, he emphasized that sinful behavior is a reflection of a deeper problem in the hidden heart.  Christianity is relationship with a purpose; but, sin breaks that relationship.  It is when the soul depends more upon ourselves than upon God.  The pastor's points were:

• Sin is not just about our behavior.  Sinful behavior is simply the manifestation of our unmet needs and desires => When we sin, think about WHY we did it
• Sin reveals to us the area of our lives where we are taking control of meeting our own needs and not relying on God to meet them for us => Don't be like the Pharisees, cleaning the outside, instead of dealing with the heart
• Recognition of sin should lead to intentional communication with the Father.  It should be used to press us into relationship and not isolate us from Him => Are there areas of our lives that we are hiding?
• The beauty of Christ's sacrifice is not only in the atonement of sin, but the possibility of relational intimacy.  He alone longs to be that by which we are nourished and sustained => John 15:1-5 tells us that growing requires abiding in the vine, which sustains and nourishes; and the fruit we bear is the Fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5
• Sin is only attractive to a starving soul => When we are nourished and sustained by God, sin doesn't have the attraction that it does when we are disconnected from God

Stolen

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?"  (Psalm 27:1)

Once again, I turn to the Psalm 27:1 verse that gave me comfort as a child growing up in a rough neighborhood.  How quickly our peace of mind and sense of security can be "stolen."; since my home was burglarized on Thursday.   I am just glad that God is always with me and that He is in control.

 Time seemed to stand still, and my mind was too much in shock to fully process what had happened.   It registered enough for me to notice the site of forced entry and some of the things missing.  In a daze, I was able to to dial 911 and get police assistance.   Afterwards, all the hassles of the aftermath needed to be taken care of as a result; and I'm currently in the midst of all that.

As I am processing, I have forgiven; and I leave the judgment to God.   Though, I pray that conscience of the theives will chase them until they give this up; so that they won't put others through what I just went through.  "Thou shalt not steal" - while the 10 Commandments are based on God's character, it is clear that there is wisdom in the Law.  If people were to obey His commands, this would be a much better place, closer to His design for our world.

I am grateful for the prayers of those around me.  I can sense His peace and healing.   And as I meditate more on the Scripture passage, the words used for the LORD, "light", "salvation", and "defense", are exactly the words that indicate why I need not fear.  Light often deters those bent on evil doing, for they prefer the darkness.   Salvation assures me of my eternal destiny no matter what happens here on earth.  And defense describes His protection.  Amen!

Ezra 9 - Repentance

Repentance is an important step in the Renewal process; for whenever we need to renew our relationship with God, typically it is because the closeness was broken due to our sin.  Our response to sin should be similar to Ezra's in this chapter; for our God is a Holy God, and He hates sin.   Ezra was appalled when he learned that the previous group of exiles had not kept themselves separate, and had intermarried with their pagan neighbors and adopted their detestable practices.   Ezra tore his tunic, cloak, and hair in grief; and then he fasted and prayed. 

There is much we can learn from his prayer of confession which would lead to repentance.   Ezra came before God in humility, recognizing their sin in shame and disgrace.  He also remembered God's grace and mercy in allowing them to return from exile and begin to rebuild.  Verses 8-9 practically summarizes the book of Ezra "“But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem."  Ezra also confessed that they had no excuse or defense for disobeying God's commands and that they deserved His wrath.  In closing, he knew that "not one..can stand in [His] Presence."

In this passage, we see the range of responses to sin.   At one end are those who lead the way to sin, and at the other end is Ezra is who appalled by it and takes action by starting with grief, fasting, and prayer.   In between, are those who go along with those who are leading them into sin, those who probably just accept it, those who may know that it is wrong but don't do anything about it, and those who maybe tried to oppose it but were not effective for whatever reason.   But also in this passage, we see clearly that the appropriate response to sin is to confess and repent.

Psalms 77 and 78

During devotions, a couple of verses from Psalms 77 and 78 stood out for me:

• "Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters - a pathway no one knew was there!" (Psalm 77:19) - God led His People through the Red Sea as He delivered them from Egypt, and it was a path that "no one knew was there."   It struck me that that is how God can work.   I may not even see a path; and it may seem an impossibility to make it to the "other side"; but, this verse is a reminder that in spite of that, God can safely deliver me in ways no one even knows about

•  "The warriors of Ephraim, though fully armed, turned their backs and fled when the day of battle came.  They did not keep God's covenant, and they refused to live by His law.  They forgot what He had done- the wonderful miracles He had shown them." (Psalm 78:9-11) - Ephraim was one of the stronger tribes of Israel, yet in this case, they were afraid.   What these verses show me is that their fear is related to their falling away from God and forgetting what He can do.   So, at times when we need the courage to face our battles, it is important to remember to walk closely with God and to trust in HIM and the power of His might.

Carry Me to the Cross

I finally found the name and lyrics for the song that I've been searching for ever since I first heard it on the radio.   It's "Carry Me to the Cross" by Kutless:

When the path is daunting
And every step exhausting
I'm not alone
I'm not alone, no, no
I feel you draw me closer
All these burdens on my shoulder
I'm not alone, I'm not alone
You pull me me from this place

Chorus:
Hellelujah
You carry me every day
You carry me all all the way
Hallelujah
You carry me to the
You carry me to the cross

How your love has moved me, yeah
To the foot of all your glory
I'm not alone, I'm not alone
I'm not alone

(Chorus)

All of these cities you have built
And every cathedral you have filled
To all of creation you gave life with your hands
And with those hands you comfort me
You lift me up from my knees
And carry me
You carry me

(Chorus)
You carry me to the
You carry me to the cross
The cross
You carry me to the
You carry me to the cross

This song just seemed to put into words how I was feeling; and the repeated phrase "I'm not alone" just spoke to me when I was feeling like "Atlas", carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders by myself.  But, this was a good reminder that God is always with me to carry me.  Amen.

Father's Day weekend '12

Father's Day - a day set apart to honor Fathers - a role that is designed by God, patterned after Who He Is.  It's not a wonder that pathologies exist as our culture systematically attacks and redefines not only what it is to be a father, but even more so what it is to be a man. 

It is interesting in my Pastor's Father's Day sermon, he used the book of Proverbs, because he said that it is "the only book in the Bible that is specifically written for men.  The purpose of the book is to pass along what it means to be a man by sharing godly wisdom from father to son."  The main theme of the book is to pursue and value WISDOM; and the message is applicable to all.  One of the most important lessons in the book comes from the familiar passage in Proverbs 1:7a  "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom".  The life of wisdom is characterized by:  discipline, insight, justice and fairness, prudence, and guidance.  A person of wisdom will pursue:  a teachable attitude, examples of the righteous, a life filled with love and faithfulness, a life of faith in God, a life of generosity, and lessons learned from God's discipline; but will avoid:  a circle of evil friends, the wayward, and pride & arrogance.  And the long-term benefits of a life of wisdom are:  Blessing, Long life, Peace, Safety from disaster, and Confidence.

There were a couple of funny jokes I heard yesterday as well.....
1)  A man from Poland went to the police and asked for help, because he believed that his wife was planning to kill him.   They asked him how he knew, and he said that he thought she was trying to poison him, since he found a bottle that she bought the other day with the label "Polish Remover"    haha...
2) A woman heard on the news that there was someone driving the wrong way on the highway; so, she called her husband on the cell phone and told him to be careful to drive home safely since there was a crazy person driving on the wrong side of the road.   Her husband replied and said that it's not just one person, it was everyone.   haha....

I have done quite a bit of yardwork in the last month; and I have maybe a couple more days of work left.   It all looks a lot nicer; but, once I'm done with the first round, it'll just be time to start all over again.  It seems to be a never-ending cycle; and the next time I do landscaping, I will insist on as close to no maintenance as possible.

I had my dad and my family over for dinner.  Overall the food turned out okay; but, there was definitely room for improvement.   At least I can say, that what I have learned from making soups and stock has helped for those particular dishes.   Following are my notes on the dishes served:

• Creamed Corn Soup - I made it according to my previous blog entry, with chicken stock base, mixed with creamed corn  (3 cans for about 12 bowls worked okay) and green onion.   When I added the cilantro, it changed the taste; and I would prefer to leave it out next time for the simple and clear flavor of the just the corn and green onion
• Kimchee - I didn't actually make this, but, this time I served cucumber with chive, as opposed to the daikon radish last time.   They are both different but, I like them both.   This cucumber one may have been a bit spicier.
• Brown Basmati Rice - I got the rice grain at Trader Joe's.  It is actually pretty good... it has a smoother texture than many of the other brown rice; and it's also basmati, which my dad likes
• Seafood Vegetable Hot Pot - With a chicken stock, I mixed in bok choy, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, imitation crab pieces, shrimp, and tofu.  I used fresh shrimp, and it was a lot of work to shell and de-vein.   I'm not sure if it was worth all the effort (and it ended up being overcooked when I had to reheat it).  I used the extra soft tofu since that is the type that my dad likes; and it was okay.  As far as the dish went, it was good; but, even though I don't like to use corn starch, the next time I serve it, I probably should add more, since it is quite runny.
• Orange Chicken - This is a fairly dish to make from the Trader Joe's package.   I bake the chicken pieces in the dish that I serve it in; and just pour the heated sauce over it.
• Salmon - I cooked the fish in two different ways:  1) foil-baked with green onion, ginger, wine and soy sauce.  Afterwards, I drizzled hot oil and added more soy sauce and some fresh green onion.  This tasted fine, although aesthetically, the color was not as appealing; 2) pan fried fillets which were soaked in wine; then simmered in a sauce with soy sauce, chicken broth, green onion, and ginger.  This looked nicer and actually had more flavor; though cleanup would be more work between the two.
• Rice Noodle w/Chicken - When I pan-fried the noodles with sesame oil, olive oil, and soy sauce, it was really good fresh.    Just adding cooked shredded chicken with green onion was a good dish.  But, then I decided to add spinach, but, it turned out to be a bad choice.   While it added vegetable to the dish and made it softer and less dry; it caused the chicken to be overcooked and totally changed the flavor and taste.  It was much better without, not only by taste but also by how it looked.
• Chow Mein Noodles - The steamed chow mein noodle package was a pleasant surprise.  It was easy to cook - just soak in boiling water for less than a minute and then pan fry with oil.   It tastes like the noodles one can get at a restaurant.   However, I need to work on the topping more.   I just made a mixture of bok choy, mushroom carrots, and chicken pieces; and then mixed it with the sauce from cooking the chicken the day before.    For one, this is another dish in which the sauce needs more corn starch in order to be thicker.   I'm not sure what else should change; but, the overall dish just was not as good as I would've liked
• Dessert - I used the Trader Joe's individually packaged Apple Blossom pastries heated up and served with ice cream.   The choice of mud pie flavor for the ice cream was not bad - it had some chocolate pieces with coffee flavor, which went pretty well with the pastry.  Almost like apple pie a la mode.

More Ponderings

It's encouraging to realize when we see growth in our lives.  It was neat that I was able to use what I learned from the lesson God taught me on Monday for my class today.  That supports what God has been showing me about how important it is for teachers to be walking closely enough with God to be learning from HIM directly.

I was also encouraged when a person in my class said that she really loved my prayer in class today, for she said she could see my heart behind it.   That's neat, because prayer really is not my strength; but, it is the my area of focus this year.   So, I hope that this is just an indication that I am learning and growing in the area of PRAYER.

Similar to what I blogged about a couple of weeks ago about being a person of prayer and not just doing it, my Assistant Pastor said, in relation to the song "Breathe" which we sang in worship today, that when worship is part of who we are rather than just something we do, then, worship is like breathing.   The senior pastor's wife said something along the same lines when she spoke at the women's event on Monday as well - that we should BE the Church, and not just "do" church.

Also, from what the Assistant Pastor shared today during the worship team devotional prayer time, it showed me so much about dealing with criticism.   He said that he often receives comments about worship, but, one particular email said that because of something he said that person claimed that their worship was disrupted.  To know the right perspective, the Assistant Pastor went to Scripture to see what God would say about that.   And the passage he came to was in Daniel, when his enemies tried to get the King to make a decree to stop any worship other than to himself, Daniel responded by continuing to worship God.   So, the Assistant Pastor said that when worship is all about God alone, then no one else should have the ability to take that away nor disrupt it.  He also made a statement that when we are speaking God's truth, there will be times when we "offend", for God's Truth is contrary to the World's lies; so, we should just be BOLD and CONFIDENT in His Truth.

On the radio today, Laura Story was talking about her song "Blessings"; and she said something that I thought was really interesting - it was along the lines that Blessings aren't what the world usually considers blessings.  She said that Blessings are being able to see what God is doing and Who He is through it.

This verse just stood out for me today:  "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  (Romans 15:13)   What a beautiful verse.

Recharging

References to batteries and recharging is often used in analogy to life.   So many similarities came to mind today as my cell phone shut down because the battery had run out.  Sometimes, I feel that need to just "shut down" too.   There are so many drains on my energy; and at times, I wonder whether or not I am one of those batteries that can actually be recharged; or would I just reach end of battery life.  I guess it depends on what we're making analogy to.   I will live eternally, so my life will last forever; though, physical life on this earth is temporal.  So, in this temporal physical life, what "recharges" me?   The only answer is the Holy Spirit.  He is the source of Power.  And, interestingly, "RECHARGING" fits right into the whole RENEWAL theme we're studying in Ezra.   It comes right back to the Truth that in order to be able to be recharged, we need to be connected to God.   On the flip side, maybe when we feel drained and ready to shut down, it may indicate that we are not drawing from the Source.   Something to think about.....

Ezra 8 - Requests Through Prayer

It is clear that Ezra is one who recognized "the gracious Hand of our God" providing, protecting, guiding, and blessing him; for in the last couple of chapters, he referred to the "Hand of God" often.   Also, after this second group of returning exiles were all assembled together, he proclaimed a fast and prayer (which likely lasted at least a week, according to the dates mentioned) in preparation for their journey; and God answered their prayer.   They also consecrated priests and sacred articles to the LORD, and the first thing they did after returning to Jerusalem and resting, was to dedicate these to God at the Temple.  They then sacrificed burnt and sin offerings to the LORD (burnt offerings for general sin and sin offerings for specific ones); and provided assistance to the people and the Temple by delivering the King's orders to the satraps and governors of the region.

We do wonder why not many Levites volunteered to return, either in the first group or the second.  There is speculation that they found "better" livelihoods than the relatively "menial" tasks they would be assigned to at the Temple.  Yet, that would definitely be more from the worldly perspective than from God's; for, all service to God, especially in the house of the LORD is important.   And, Ezra also knew the importance of having Levites and temple servants, for he ensured that there would be some among this second group of returning exiles, by finding leaders and men of understanding to talk to Iddo as the leader of the Levites and Temple servants in Kasiphia to send some.  This is a good reminder when we feel like what we are doing for the Lord seems so unimportant or small.

In the larger picture, we also wonder why not more of the Israelites returned in this second group as well.   We can see that much faith would've been needed with the first group, since it wasn't clear what they would find and how they would live when they first returned to Jerusalem.  But, this group is returning at least 80 years later.  And yet, this group was even so much smaller than the first  (~2,000 listed vs ~50,000).   Do we, as the people of God, often just don't hear His calling, don't see His Plan, or decide not to respond?

One of the key parts of this passage, was when they took time to fast and pray.   And the outcome of dilemna that Ezra struggled with showed that he cared more about how God was represented than about his own physical safety; and that He trusted God for protection. In this passage, I was reminded that for prayer, we needed the right attitude (humility before God) and the right motivation (e.g. honoring and trusting God)

The consecration, dedication of sacred articles, burnt and sin offerings - all similar to what the first group did, is a reminder that God is a HOLY God that His people did sin against Him.  When we truly want to be in the presence of the LORD, I think we will see the need to be set apart, cleansed and purified.

This passage also gives some indications of important qualities of leadership - having "understanding" (which is the ability to teach others to understand) and of being consecrated to God.  Also, by example in the passage, it shows how important it is to treat stewardship of all that God has placed into our care with serious responsibility.

Also, just some interesting historical background, the Nethinim or temple servants were actually descendants of Gibeonites (who were descendants from Canaan).  They tricked Joshua into making a covenant with them (Joshua 9), pretending to be from far away, but were actually occupants of the Promised Land when the Israelites arrived.  Despite the deception, the covenant was honored, and they were allowed to be servants to the Levites.  And, it is interesting that more Temple servants decided to return than Levites, for they had the even more "menial" tasks.

Ponderings

There are a few unrelated things that I am pondering, but thought they were interesting enough to note as I continue to contemplate....

On Sunday, one of my fellow Adult Sunday School teachers shared with me a verse that he felt was a good one for teachers from Nehemiah 8:8:  "They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage."   This was a good complement to Ezra 7:9b,10, which we had just studied in class:  "The gracious hand of his God was on him.  For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel."

As I was sitting through a concert Sunday evening; it was pretty clearly evident who was truly praising and worshiping God versus just performing or going through the motions.   I really think that for people in music ministry, their heart for God and attitude of worship affect their effectiveness in leading others to worship.  Granted, sometimes worship is also affected by the attitude of the worshiper; but the worship leader does also make a big difference.  For even if a person is distracted, they can be drawn into the worship; and then may even be touched more deeply, because it was unexpected.

Also, one of the violinists had striking good looks.   It made me think back to my prior contemplations on the subject of beauty.   True beauty does come as a reflection of our Creator, and is thus not external or physical.  Yet, it is undeniable that physical attractiveness has an advantage in culture.  God created me as I am, and I am grateful; for, I do think I may not have been as diligent in cultivating my spiritual and intellectual abilities had I more looks to rely upon.  Still, sometimes we wistfully wonder what it would be like to be absolutely beautiful; and it was funny that when I came home from the concert, that evening on television was the Miss America pageant.  Yet, one thing is clear, physical beauty is temporal and fleeting.   No matter what, it is more important to cultivate what will last, particularly what will make a difference in the eternal perspective.

My friend also had her baby shower on Sunday.  One of the women who helped organize the shower was very artsy-crafty; and the nice little "fru-fru" touches she added were beautifully done.   Having had put together one of my friend's previous baby showers and helping with her bridal shower; it was a little strange not being more involved with this one.   Yet, it was nice to be able to just go.  At the shower, I was asked to say a few impromptu words for the expectant couple.   As I am not given to public speaking, I hope that I was able to adequately express my love for them and blessings for the baby to come.

Last night, I went to help with the AV for a womens' ministry appreciation event.   It was nicely decorated; and like the baby shower, some of the "fru-fru" details were very beautifully done.  While I consider myself fairly well-balanced, and can decorate, host, entertain, etc; it was just so clear to me how different I am and why I don't often go to womens' ministry functions.   It made me wonder if that is a factor in my "thorn".   Something to continue to ponder.  Although, interestingly enough, the person that I most related to the whole evening was the other person who was helping with AV, on the sound board, and he was a guy.  He is getting married in a couple of months; and it made me think more about my "thorn".   There is much I don't understand, but this I know, my "thorn" is still on the altar of my life, offered to God.    I trust Him to know what is best for me; and I am grateful that through it, I have learned that "His Grace is sufficient for me."

Another thing about the womens' ministry event.   For the AV, I wasn't required to do very much; and part of me almost felt like I wasn't very useful and that almost anyone could've done it.  But, realistically, that's not so true since it does require some understanding of the systems; and I should just be glad that I was able to help out, for they needed someone to do it even if it was not much.  In some ways, it is analogous to a drummer or percussionist in a long orchestral piece that only needs to play maybe one or two beats in the whole piece.   No matter how little that percussionist plays, those few beats are still important to the music as a whole and was still needed.

There is a song that I heard on the radio a few times, but I still haven't been able to determine the title or the artist.   What caught my attention was the first few lines, which essentially talked about feeling somewhat overwhelmed by troubles; and then, when the chorus started, it just really hit home.   The main line I remember from the chorus is "I am not alone".   It made me think back to when I was feeling like "Atlas"; but, I came to the same conclusion, that I am not carrying all my responsibilities on my shoulders all by myself, even though it often feels like it; but, that God is always with me.  Praise God who is Immanuel, God with us.  Amen.

More Precious than Gold

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls."  (1 Peter 1:3-9)

The message given yesterday by the new pastor on our staff shared the truths he had learned about pain as he worked through his own personal experience with trials.  Suffering is a major theme in 1 Peter, but in this particular passage it shows that we should:

• Always keep FOCUS on what is eternal  - We have a living hope based on our relationship with Christ.  Biblical hope is absolute confidence and assurance; and the content of our hope is the inheritance which will never perish, spoil, or fade, protected by God in heaven for us.  And in vs 5, we are shielded by faith to be able to receive this inheritance; for an inheritance does not mean much if we do not live to receive it.
• REMEMBER that trials are not eternal - Trails are "for a little while" (vs 6), so they won't last forever.  
• ALLOW God to use trails in our lives - Though trials hurt and suffering is painful, just as fire enables impurities to be skimmed off as gold is refined, God can do amazing things and serious work through those broken by pain of trials.  The grace and mercy of God is greater than our pain.

So, we can rejoice in the midst of our pain, for we can flourish as children of God through our trials keeping our eyes on the eternal perspective.