One who does not trust in H'shem is never happy not in the good times or the bad. In the good times he is never satisfied and in a state of distress and anxiety and in bad times he is blaming and deperessed.
pg 449
Nefesh Hachaim
Learning Torah for any reason be it L'Shmah or Lo L'Shma is praised and preferred to doing a Mitzvah, since a Mitzvah saves one from punishment but Torah even one word saves him from sinning
Prologue to Gate Four, Chapter 2 pg 122