“God could do that for me, but he probably won’t,” I once complained to a friend about a long-term prayer God seemed to be ignoring. “I agree with you,” my wiser friend said, “but not for the same reasons you’d give.” He meant that my opinion was rooted in self-interest: I thought God was displeased with me; God had to teach me a lesson; until I figured it out, the answer would be no. By contrast, my friend’s perspective is rooted in awe of God’s character: his boundless love, his far-reaching mercy, his mysterious ways. We can assume God’s goodness. I haven’t thought of suffering or miracles in quite the same way since.