Many people undertake spiritual practice with this personal point-of-view in tact:
I am not worthy of God/awakening. I have to struggle against God/reality to try to awaken. (Of course, in the end it is never going to happen anyway, because I am not worthy of it.)
It’s important to notice that Lesson 69 says the opposite:
“Your little effort and small determination call on the power of the universe to help you, and God Himself (reality itself) will raise you from darkness into light. You are in accord with His (its) Will. … Have confidence in your Father (source) today.”
We can lack the desire and intention for awakening, which is to be “too loose.” When we are too loose we do not call on God (the universe) to help us awaken.
We can also have the hidden attitude stated above where we feel we have to struggle with all of our might for something we will never quite be able to reach, which is to be “too tight.” This reinforces the ego’s belief system.
I am a fan of “the middle way.” The middle way is between too loose and too tight.
The middle way attitude recognizes that the goal of Self-realization is “dearer to us than all else.” It softly and lovingly holds this acknowledgement in the heart.
The middle way attitude gives willing attention to spiritual practice because the goal of awakening is “dearer to us than all else.” It continues in the direction of awakening, even amongst other things that are happening in life, with an underlying confidence that:
~ Awakening is possible for me
~ Awakening is God’s (the universe’s) will for all of us
~ If I simply put one foot in front of the other consistently and do not forget my purpose, God (the universe) will recognize my readiness and naturally respond by doing its part
When we walk the middle way, we remember to practice and we practice willingly, but we also have confidence in something beyond the little self to assist in bringing us to truth. We don’t have lack of interest and we aren’t struggling like we have to bend the universe against its will. We have confidence that we are working in cooperation with God (the universe) in a joined will, one we are becoming fully ready for now. … God (the universe) was already ready.
“Your little effort and small determination call on the power of the universe to help you, and God Himself (reality itself) will raise you from darkness into light. You are in accord with His (its) Will. … Have confidence in your Father (source) today.”