Circumstances can be good, bad, or neutral.

 In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, "There is no God." His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them.

Psalm 10:4-5 (ESV)
 
It seems as if the Godless prosper at times, and the Godly cannot help but wonder why. Perhaps it is because our definition of "prosper" is not what it should be. Those who find comfort today are not necessarily prospering. Those who seek pleasure in the moment may find momentary pleasure, but be at a loss for any long-term hope.
 
Reality is only partially visible, and what we see is easily manipulated. Throughout history man has manipulated his apparent reality to make it look as if he has it all together. What happens behind the scenes is often cloaked in privacy, available to few.
 
However, God sees all. There is no "secret" reality to Him. Although we live through the lens of perspective, God has no perspective. He has assured us that those who listen to Him will enjoy success today, even if we do not see it as success. The key is listening to God, not manipulating the circumstances to make us look or feel successful.
 
Circumstances can be good, bad, or neutral. They can be byproducts of poor decisions or seemingly random. If they are byproducts of poor choices, I need to repent and make better decisions. If they are out of my control, I need to rest in the fact that my Heavenly Father is in control and He has a plan.
 
We should never allow our perspective to distort the truth.