"tough times weed out the nominal believers and leave only the true believers."

Groucho, the only ones left standing will be those with the Spirit of Christ in them. I also have experienced difficult and desperate times; it was then when His Spirit guided and comforted me--when I was weak, He was strong. And looking back, those were the best days of my life. Only with His strength do we triumph in times of persecution and trouble. And, yes, you are right: "Once it became legal, things went down hill.", or, once people have gained a "good life", by whatever means, God was no longer their focus in life.