A different view of troublesome events.

Once you realize that the purpose of the world-and your purpose as a player in it-is to attain perfection, you begin to notice Hashem's Hand in your life.  You begin to view troublesome events as challenges that will help you grow.  You no longer take the good for granted, you realize that Hashem is giving you tools with which to advance.  You cease to view events in your life as random occurrences.

from the Sefer-- The Six Constant Mitzvos  based on Lectures by Rabbi Yitzchack Berkowitz

Making our Tefilah Real

Rabbi Noach Weinberg says that if we really believe in Hashem our Tefilah will be totally real.  If we are just going through the motions but we are not really talking to Hashem it is worthless.  He quotes the Chofetz Chayim who tells a story about a man who asked to take over a factory, and the owner of the factory wrote out detailed instructions for what to do when he was running the factory.  He made the man promise to review the directions twice a day.  He came back a few months later and found the factory in ruins.  He said, "what about all of my instructions".  The man said, "I reviewed them every day".  The factory owner said, "I gave them to you to follow, not to review"  The Chofetz Chayim said, "This is the Shema, we are told to review it so that we will follow the instructions, not so that we can read it mindlessly"