Whether you’re re-watching a movie or a ball game, there’s less stress the second time you see the action. Why? Because you have gained perspective. You are now able to view everything in its true relation to the big picture. You know what’s important and what isn’t. And you know how it’s going to end. 1 Peter 1 provides some needed perspective for believers. Our daily lives may be difficult, disappointing, and stressful. But if we are mindful of our salvation in Jesus Christ, our hearts will be filled with hope, joy, and gratitude. In the Bible, “hope” is not wishful thinking; it’s strong confidence. We set our “hope” on the return of Jesus (v 13), because God has “caused us to be born again to a living hope” through the resurrection of Jesus. Our hope is alive because our Savior is alive! We have received spiritual life, not by our merit, but His mercy. God chose us before we chose Him, and He promises to keep us—for the inheritance that He is keeping for us in heaven (v 1-5). Therefore, our joy is unstoppable. In God’s plan, it may be necessary for us to be “grieved by various trials,” but we rejoice, knowing there is a purpose in our pain. A goldsmith would leave raw metal in the smoldering furnace just long enough to allow the impurities to be removed, so the final product was pure gold. Sometimes he would keep the gold in the furnace until he was able to see his own face reflected in it. So we trust the One we have not yet seen. We love Him, rejoicing with inexpressible and glorious joy (v 6-9). Peter’s perspective gives hope for the future, joy in the present, and gratitude as we look to the past. Consider the Old Testament prophets, who would have given anything to trade places with us who live on this side of the cross. Their prophecies pointed forward to Jesus, but we know Him personally! Just think: we understand God’s purposes better than Moses or Isaiah! Even angels are curious about our salvation, adds Peter. God did not send His Son to die for them, or send His Spirit to indwell them. Although they enjoy life in the immediate presence of God, the angels are in awe of our privileges! (v 10-12). Equipped with this perspective, believers are called to holiness. This means we are set apart for God’s glory, so there should be something distinctive about our lifestyles. We must be spiritually alert and disciplined, focused on future grace. We must nourish new desires, imitating our Heavenly Father in all we do. And we should live in reverent fear, always conscious of how our salvation was purchased with the precious blood of God’s own Son (v 13-21). For further meditation: