Marianne Williamson,   The Gift of Change
The spiritual path is not a matter of growing more metaphysically complicated;  it's a process where we actually grow simpler and simpler, as we apply certain basic principles to everything we go through.   We don't learn love, which is already etched on our hearts; we do, however, begin to unlearn fear.   And with every change we make from blame to blessing, we pierce the veil of illusion that separates us from the world we want.

Paul Ferrini,   Love Without Conditions
"Your path has its own simple beauty and mystery.   It is never what you think it is.   Yet it is never beyond your ability to intuit the next step.   Authentic spirituality is not linear, mechanistic or prescriptive. It cannot tell you, "Do this and do that, and such and such will happen."  It can only invite you to keep your heart and mind open.  
It can only invite you to listen to your guidance and trust it.   Action that comes from this place is a living prayer.  
It cannot be anticipated or repeated."

Pema Chodron,  (Buddhist nun)  When Things Fall Apart
If we find ourselves in what seems like a rotten or painful situation and we think,  "Well, HOW is THIS enlightenment?"  we can just remember this notion of the path, that what seems undesirable in our lives doesn't have to put us to sleep, doesn't have to trigger habitual reactions.   We can let it show us where we're at, and let it remind us that the teachings encourage precision and gentleness, with loving-kindness toward every moment.