This theory was told to me since my grandfathers time to my father and it has always been that way. I do not think there is anything wrong with it nor finds reason to argue against it. Until recently.........
If we allow our sight to fall outside of God and his promises/words, we in our actions/behavior are already showing we lean against another idol/God to prove their theories are better than God. Or are we being inconsistent? When a situation like the weather happens, we put the blame on it and when another occasion like life and death healing, we resort to God's help.
In other words, we are not as loyal and truthful to God as we think we are. We come to him for certain things - mainly health, wealth, prosperity but still not in totality. It is when one has exhausted all means - the worldly way that one then turn to HIM. How unfair I thought if I am God. How dare you treat me this way?
Luckily, our God is both loving and merciful, always forgiving our sins, short comings and love us unconditionally. He does not bear grudges, take revenge like we humans do.
To disguise, we may make up for other areas of our lives - such as dressing the part or acting against our natural self (being extrovert to the public but become withdrawn when alone). This scene can go on for years or a lifetime for some people.
In my daughter's case, if she falls ill, the first thing we do as parents is to search what food has she eaten lately - too much cold food - ice cream or going out too often - sitting under the air-conditioned bus, spending too much time under the sun,etc. You see, it is external - our wrong actions but nothing to do with our imaginations.
It may seems absurd for any parents to think or to want their own kids to fall ill but it is the truth. Each time the same thing happened, we attribute the cause to be something external, creating an impression of the cause/effect mindset. Over times, it form an anchor in our mind. So, after 1-2 weekends of fun and if she falls ill (fever, cough, flu,etc) then it must be due to these activities. Period. Then we feel bad, lousy as if we had not taken good care of her. And the next course of action would be to stay indoors, drink herbal tea, plenty of water - out of guilt and hoping it would accelerate her recovery.
Deuteronomy 32.39 - ‘Now see that I, even I, am He,
And there is no God besides Me;
I kill and I make alive;
I wound and I heal;
Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.
Therefore, based on the above verse, we must be careful of our thoughts all the time. It could either kill or heal, depending on what we want. It is like someone striking lottery after his prayers but either losing it away in gambling or some other investment because he feels insecure, not deserving of holding so much wealth in custody. Our fate lies in our own hands and we and only we must determine what we want in life, the positive or the negative, of which either one will be given to you as per your wish.
Choose life as God says in "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: deuteronomy 30.19"
Thus, I choose the sunny side of my daughter, the bubbly chatty baby of mine, always curious and full of questions for me. Her laughter is contagious and I want more and more of that in my life. With that mental picture, I cook up the intensity of the feeling till the inner picture matches the reality (the outside picture) perfectly. That is what I call a prayer !
Thank you Lord for your continuous blessings, love and faith in me.