The Yidden were commanded not to ascend Har Sinai, and not even as much as: וּהֵצָקְבּ ַﬠֹגְנוּ to touch the edge of the mountain. Whoever touches the mountain will be put to death by S’kila (stoning). This is an unusual kind of sin, where a person is Chayav Missa for wanting to go higher in Avodas Hashem and touching Har Sinai. And he gets the worst punishment, S’kila (stoning)! And even for a drop of ascending inappropriately. So many frum people suffer all their lives from their many sins and inabilities to perform properly in Avodas Hashem. They have deep seated frustration about their weakness in Torah, Tefila, Chesed, Kedusha, and Ka'as, etc. Despite all this frustration, not only do they have to be Sameach B'chelko in Ruchaniyus, but they have to realize that being higher would be Mamash a sin! This makes life much easier. You have to love your present Matzav with all its details, good and bad.
People tell me that they have no Koach to look in a Sefer and work on Bitachon. Actually, just trying to sit back and think positively is like a Mussar Seder of Bitachon, like it says: 'הןוּשִׁרֲחַתּ םֶתַּאְו םֶכָל םֵחָלִּי יד יד You keep quiet, and allow Hashem to take over. That: ןוּשִׁרֲחַתּ keeping quiet was so powerful that it brought the end of the entire Malchus Mitzrayim, as it says: םָלוֹע דַﬠ דוֹע םָתֹאְרִל וּפִסֹת אֹל יד יג You will never see the Mitzri'im ever again. Similarly, when Chizkiyahu said that he has no Koach for Bitachon, the entire Malchus Ashur was destroyed forever. (Medrash).
Indeed, an inferior Mussar Seder is more difficult, since looking at an inspiring Sefer on Bitachon encourages and boosts you up much more. But when you realize that having a better Seder is Chayav S'kila, then you appreciate the little you do as a Le'chatchila, and it works better.
Sameach B'chelko Is Needed for Ruchaniyus, So That You Can Serve Hashem B'simcha
The same with a weakness in Kedusha or Ka'as or Kin'ah, Sin'as Chinam, learning Torah, davening without Kavana, or coming on time for Minyan, etc. You appreciate your low Madrega, and your pain is much less. It says in Mishlei: לֵשָׁכִּת אֹל ץוּרָתּ םִאְו בי ד Watch out for running too fast in Avodas Hashem. It can cause serious problems.
“But I’m doing terrible Aveiros!” It doesn’t matter; as long as you try and desire to improve. The Gr”a says that the main reason for the giving of the Torah was that we should acquire Middas HaBitachon. Being Sameach B'chelko is #1, and therefore the lack of Simcha causes Churbanos, Rachmana Litzlan, as it says in the Tochacha: בָבֵל בוּטְבוּ הָחְמִשְׂבּ ˃יֶק˄ֱא 'ה תֶא ָתְּדַבָﬠ אֹל רֶשֲׁא תַחַתּ זמ חכ אבת all the punishments come for lack of Simcha.
Whoever gets S’kila (stoning) first gets thrown down from a building. And if he isn’t dead, then they stone him. The only place where being thrown is mentioned in the Torah: הֶרָיִּי הֹרָי יט יג (“he will be hurled down”) is here by the sin of touching Har Sinai. Perhaps it’s a Remez, that if you’re too high, you will be thrown down, Chas V'shalom.
We see how important is Sameach B'chelko in Ruchaniyus, and we should expect a lifetime of desires that will never happen. וֹדָיְבּ וֹתָוֲאַתּ יִצֲחַו תֵמ םָדָא ןיֵאקהלת רבה א לב A person does not get even half of his desires during his lifetime, and: רוֹמְגִל הָכאָלְמַּה ˃יֶלָﬠ אֹל אבות ב טז You are not responsible to get it all done! We are happy with our incomplete situation. This is Le'chatchila!
You think that your ideal is when you finish the Masechta, or when you finally get your long awaited Nachas and good relationship, etc. However, it may very well be that your present state of frustration, inability, and difficulty is the ideal of your life! And Har Sinai is the greatest proof!
So be a Sameach B'chelko no matter what the situation! Believe it or not, your limbo state could be the most ideal part of your life. יֵﬠָבּ אָבּיִל אָנָמְחַר Hashem wants our desire. And you may be getting much more Schar than if you had achieved all your wishes (albeit in Ruchaniyus!) Always work on being happy with the moment, without thinking of glorious tomorrow.
