God certainly wants us to live lives that are good and pure—and if we honestly have given ourselves to Christ, this should be our goal. The Bible says, “So we make it our goal to please him” (2 Corinthians 5:9).

But I can’t help but wonder if you may have misunderstood the most important thing God wants us to do. You see, the Bible tells us that we each have a deadly spiritual disease, and our greatest need is to be cured of that disease. It also tells us that we cannot cure ourselves, no matter how hard we try. What is that disease? The Bible sums it up in one word: sin. Like a deadly cancer, sin has invaded our lives and crippled our hearts.

This is why we need Christ. Only He can forgive our sins and bring healing to our souls, and only He can begin to change us from within by His Holy Spirit. More than that, only He can give us hope for eternal life, because He died on the cross and rose again for us. The Bible says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith … not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Have you been trying to earn your salvation by your own goodness? Instead, open your heart to Jesus Christ, and trust Him alone for your salvation. Then ask God to lead you to a church where you can hear His Word and be encouraged in your faith.