"You have to take the first step!"
"Just Keep Going!"
"Don't Quit! Keep Trying!"
These advisos, among others, have infiltrated the Body of Christ.
These three phrases are suffused with will worship:
"16Let no man
therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the
new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17Which are a
shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." (Colossians2: 16-17)
The Child of God's greatest temptation is not sin, since sin shall not have any dominion over us (Romans 6: 11), but rather returning to the law, to outward shows of piety, to follow rules and regulations to earn our righteousness:
"4Christ is become of
no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen
from grace. 5For we through the
Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6For in Jesus Christ
neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which
worketh by love." (Galatians 5:4-6)
Then Paul writes to the Colossians:
"20Wherefore if ye
be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in
the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21(Touch not; taste
not; handle not; 22Which all are to
perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23Which things have
indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the
body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh." (Colossians 2: 20-23)
Christ Jesus is our life, not our flesh, not our feelings, not our efforts in our own strength. The last thing that anyone needs to tell anyone else is "try harder", or "do more" or "take the first step", because Christ is the one who lives in us (Colossians 1: 27), and He works in us (Colossians 1: 29), and His grace quickens us to do all things as He wills (1 Corinthians 15: 10; Philippians 2: 12-13)
Jesus Christ is the Way, as well as the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)
He knows the Way, because He is the way. He has prepared everything in advance for us to do. He asks us to trust Him and to grow in grace and knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3: 18)