Blaming God

The question was asked in Bible study -- why do we praise God for the good things in our lives, but not blame him for the bad stuff?  I fumbled for an answer to this relatively simple question, but as I've thought more about it, I feel I've arrived at more of an answer.  God is good all the time -- he is on the side of good, and he wants the best for his people.  He allows us free will, though, to make decisions that result in terrible consequences.  He is allowing the world he created to consistently act in opposition to his will, because he wants to save a remnant of his people -- he would like to save everyone, but he gives us choices that allow us to wander from his will.  The example of Job was brought up in Bible study -- Job loses everything, including his family, his health, and his wealth, and he beseeches God for pages and pages, demanding to know why he is being handed these terrible blows.  God's answer to Job is basically, who are you to question me? 
He also says that Job is righteous, though, and chastises the friends who try to explain away Job's circumstances by saying he must have sinned to cause such terrible destruction in his life.  The real answer in Job, I think, is not to allow our faith to be shaped by circumstances, good or bad.  God's justice will be meted out at the end of time, not before.  Whatever circumstances we face now, good or bad, are temporary, and the eternal question is, do we trust God with everything?  Do we go to him when just when we're in trouble, and we feel we need him, or just when we're feeling good about the world and desire to praise him for it?  No, we have to go to God all the time.  Faith demands that we trust God, regardless of where we sit in life or what we see on the news.  Our praises to God and our prayer requests are often so self-focused, when we should be praising God every day just for who he is.  It is difficult at times to see the good in our circumstances or in terrible events like the earthquake in Haiti, which seem to be God-ordained.  God does allow these terrible things to happen, though, because all of creation is in birth pangs to bring about the salvation of God's people.  Terrible things that happen are not a judgment on specific people, I don't think, but rather a consequence of the fallen creation, which is allowed to run its course by God.  God isn't singling out Haitians for destruction.  It's a consequence of our fallen world that people die at all.  The eternal question is, how is it possible for God to love us through these disasters?  How is it possible for God to allow the suffering of the world to continue for even a second longer?  What is he waiting for?  For just a few more people to turn his way?  It seems that God is willing to allow us a little more time in this world in order to save those who see the terrible things that happen, along with the good, and are willing to give God the praise he deserves.  God is good, and he works to bring good out of bad situations for those who believe.  For those who don't believe, their circumstances can also turn around in this world, but they don't have the eternal reassurance of God's grace, offered through the person of Jesus Christ.  Thank God that he gives us some relief from the bad things in our life, not by altering our circumstances for the good, but by offering himself as a friend, fellow-sufferer, and ultimately, as a savior.  He has made clear his intentions to save us by dying on a cross for our sins.