Good Intentions versus Trust
I have discovered that there are two paths available for Christians to walk on. The first path is the path of good intentions. On this path they try hard to make themselves acceptable to God, and they strive to please God with their efforts. They work very hard and the church encourages their efforts. But along the way they begin to realize that they still fail at times. So they put on masks and pretend that they are doing okay. Some of them, on the inside, feel that they have no hope for a better situation. Others continue to deny their failures, pretend they are okay, and criticize other Christians who aren't living up to "the standards." The path of good intentions is a hard and lonely path.
Then there is the path of trusting God. On this path, Christians are LIVING OUT OF WHO GOD SAYS THEY ARE. This path requires humility, the humility that understands that there is NOTHING we can do to earn God's love and acceptance. But they also understand that we ALREADY HAVE God's love and acceptance. Jesus took care of our sin problem, and now we need to trust that "he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion" (Php 1:6). The path of trusting God is a much easier path.