Hiding your face as a positive thing?

In the book In Adam and G.o., the rabbi suggests that the hiding of God's face (the fact that He leaves us in the hands of nature without us feeling His care) is not a negative thing as is usually portrayed, but rather a 'maturation' of humanity.
On the other hand, in Parashat Vayelach (Deuteronomy 31:17-18) it is written:

And my anger was kindled against him in that day, and I went away, and hid my face from them, and they were consumed, and many evils and troubles came upon them. And he said in that day, Is it not because my God is not among me, that these evils have come upon me? And I hid my face in that day for all the evil that she did. "For he turned to other gods."
After all, hiding your face is a punishment.