Self-sufficiency is the most fatal sin

"Self-sufficiency...is the most fatal sin because it pulls us as if by magnet from God. The suffering and the poor have the advantage that their lack of self-sufficiency is obvious to them every day. They must turn somewhere for strength, and sometimes they turn to God. People who are rich, successful, and beautiful may go through life relying on their natural gifts. But there's a chance, just a chance, that people who lack such natural advantages may cry out to God in their time of need...suffering and oppressed people find themselves in a posture that befits the grace of God. They are needy, dependent, and dissatisfied with life; for that reason they may welcome God's free gift of love." (Yancey, Where Is God When It Hurts?, p. 148-149)

where is God when it hurts

"The book of Job should nail a coffin lid over the idea that every time we suffer it's because God is punishing us or trying to tell us something. Although the Bible supports the general principle that 'a man reaps what he sows' even in this life (see Psalms 1:3; 37:25), the book of Job proves that other people have no right to apply that general principle to a particular person. Nobody deserved suffering less than Job, and yet few have suffered more." (Yancey, Where Is God When It Hurts?, p. 81)

Cure vs healing

‎"Cure and healing are not one and the same. Cure refers to the complete physical resolution of a disease. Healing may involve physical cure, but it is vastly more encompassing. Healing refers to a psychological and spiritual regeneration after we have been wounded, whatever the nature of the wound. Those who cultivate healing might also find that they are cured, usually with the inestimable aid of modern medicine. Or they might not be cured. But regardless of the medical outcome, this broader healing is a goal worth all of our energies - and our prayers." (Chiel and Dreher, The Healing Power of Psalms, p. 19)

Prayer

"There are two broad categories (of prayer): directed prayer, in which we ask for a specific goal, image, or outcome ('make it happen'), and non directed or 'open-ended' prayer, in which no specific outcome is held in the mind ('let it be').

"...Certainly, both forms of petition have validity. But one reason to consider the non-directed approach to prayer is that it acknowledges a higher intelligence: We don't always know precisely what is best for ourselves or our loved ones." (Chiel and Dreher, The Healing Power of Psalms, p. 27)

Soul repair

"To truly surrender we must come to the end of our attempts to run our own lives. Once we are clear on the futility of our own spiritual efforts and the need for God's help and guidance, we can turn our lives over to God's care and direction. As long as some part of us is holding out and believing that we can make our lives work if we just try a little harder, we will find it difficult to fully surrender. Thus, surrendering to God's love and grace becomes a process of releasing more and more of our self-reliance as we grow in faith...God will take over when we come to the end of our futile attempts to be good enough, spiritual enough or smart enough to run our own lives." (Soul Repair, p. 141)