Another (harmful thing) is becoming enamored with the immediate causes, which one can see without realizing that the closer a cause is to the effect, the less it has the power to help or harm the one affected by it, while the more remote it is, the greater and more manifest is its power to help or harm him. Causes are weaker or stronger in helping one affected by them in proportion to their closeness to him or remoteness from him since the Creator May He be exalted is the final cause infinitely remote from those affected by Him, it is proper to trust in Him and rely on Him because of His great power to help or harm as we have explained. The more one knows GD and has faith in His protective care and abounding providence, the more trust one has in Him. pg 465/467
Daily Halacha 14 Teves
Birkas Hagomel is said when:
1. One lost his way in a desert and survived
2. Poskim debates if imprisonment, jail imprisonment, where one's life is not necessarily in danger, is like a prisoner of war. In practice, the individual case should be presented to a Rav for ruling, as many modern prisons can be quite dangerous. pg104