Therefore we see that upon the rich God lays various crosses and trials, diseases and afflictions; not only because they have deserved such things by their sins, but because God desires to guard them against future sins, and thus keep them in His fear. They would otherwise, were it not for trials, de crease in prayer, faith and zeal for the Word of God, from day to day, and finally neglect them altogether.

The true, highest and best blessing; however, by which we can and should discern the goodness of God, is not temporal prosperity, but the ever lasting blessing, that God has called us to His Gospel, in which we hear Him and learn how He, on account of His Son, desires to be merciful to us, to forgive our sins and to save us eternally; besides to defend us graciously here on earth from the tyranny of the devil and of the world. Whoever rightly considers this blessing, even if he have lack of temporal blessings, so that he is poor, sick, despised, miserable and burdened with all manner of adversity, still regards all these things as insignificant; for he sees that he always gains more than he has lost. If he has no money nor property, he still knows that he is called unto everlasting life and that this is assured unto him in Baptism and the Word. (Luther’s House Postil, Sermon for the First Sunday after Trinity, Volume 3, p. 648)

For no Christian is to think that when he fares ill God has forgotten him or is angry with him. For this is God’s way and manner, that like a good father He is always after His children with the rod, in order that through such correction they may be admonished and kept from sin; since they would otherwise, if there were no correction, feel secure and continue in sin. Therefore a Christian is not only not to be offended at his misery, but to derive the assurance therefrom that God loves him, thinks of him and seeks what is best for him. As also the wise man says: “If a father really loves his son, he corrects him.”

Hence it is a great mistake if you judge of God’s goodness and grace by your temporal condition. It is true, indeed, money and goods, a healthy body, and the like, are gifts and blessings of God, but such a blessing as shall not endure forever. For at last everything must be left behind at any rate. Besides, to this blessing the evil attaches itself, that if one does not especially abide in the fear of God and pay strict attention to the Word, it gives rise to much sin on account of our sinful nature. (Luther’s House Postil, Sermon for the First Sunday after Trinity, Volume 3, p. 647)