A lot of the time we Christians say we want to be holy, but then we don’t want to work towards it. We want all the benefits of holiness without the process or the work. It’s like wanting to know how to skillfully play an instrument without sitting and practicing on it. It’s like wanting all the benefits of push-ups or cardio without ever doing any. It’s like wanting to know how to fluently speak another language but not wanting to have to go through the learning process.
Just like it takes consistent, regular, continuous effort to learn how to play an instrument, get fitter, lose weight, get better at a skill, or learn something new, it takes consistent, regular, continuous effort to be holy. There’s no way around it. You can’t get the benefits of something that requires work without doing the actual work. So if you want to be holy, you need to get together with God and put in the effort. God doesn’t take away your volition or choice to participate, so if you want to be holy you have to consistently make the choice to put in the effort.
Related:
Working Out
Working on Running
Sore Muscles
Diet and Exercise
Keep Walking
All of the Holy Spirit, All of Me
The Process of Sanctification
Practicing Discipline