The secret of the Christian life is found here. It is, quite simply, to set your heart steadfastly to do what pleases God, and only what pleases God. To put ON Christ; because He ALWAYS does what pleases God. He ALWAYS seeks the Father's will. He is ALWAYS acting in absolute righteousness. All too often, we aim at righteousness in a half-hearted way, it's what we do when someone is watching, or when it's convenient, or when we are feeling full-up on good feelings, good ideas, or just good intentions... the trouble comes when things are not so good. When difficulties abound, when temptations are everywhere, and when our ability to manage our own chaos is overwhelmed in the flood... but the real issue is still lurking in the shadows. The core of our problem is that in the good times, when we should be walking in victory, and strengthening our souls in righteous obedience to God; we will all too often set plans and provisions for the failures that we fear, or even know, are just around the corner. It is frequently a simple refusal to hedge our lives with accountability. A furtive effort to maintain secrecy in places where it can do nothing but harm us. It is that we have not actually put on Christ regularly, but rather have dressed up our flesh in robes of religion and expect that they will cover our sin... but it will never work for that is not how we should put on Christ. We are called to put on Christ daily, to put Him on purposefully, to put Him on with a desire to be like Him. It is our calling to seek the grace of God so that we might maximize the glory of Christ in the eyes of all mankind and even in the courts of the heavenly places... but the motive for this putting on MUST be our desire for God and for the fame of His name. Our motive must be our love for Him, our true and faithful gratitude for what He has done and our desire to be found pleasing in His sight. God forgive us and cause us to walk in your truth! May your grace capture our hearts so that we no longer desire the delicacies of the flesh, but rather that we would hunger only for you.