As a kid I loved when my dad would read me stories. I'd always ask for another and another and he'd always oblige until I was up past my bedtime. My dad particularly loved reading me fables, or stories with a moral lesson. One of the first Bible stories I remember from childhood is the story from Daniel of the three Hebrew children in the furnace.
"If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."
-Daniel 3:17-18
The moral of this story, my dad explained was that even if God chose not to save them they still saw him as their God. Faith is not predicated on answered prayers, or what you get in return. True faith, is about serving God unconditionally, not just in fair weather. Much like true love, faith is for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.
I've noticed with the younger generations friendship, love, and even dedication to God is predicated on what they will receive in return. They see every act as a means to an end. If they pray, fast, or attend church services they feel they have earned answered prayers. Their relationship with God suffers when they aren't given what they want. However, God is not in service to us, we are in service to God.
The most important part of faith is believing and serving God in the worst of times. Serving God when life makes the least amount of sense is the true test of faith. We must believe that hardships and trials exist to make us stronger, to teach us lessons, and even if God doesn't always give us what we want, He gives us what we need.
Come what may, He is still my God.