At several places, God teaches us that you really do get out what you put in:

“You reap what you sow.” (Galatians 6:7)

“Raise up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

“See a man diligent in his labor, he will stand before kings, he will not stand before mean men.” (Proverbs 22:9)

Grant that we live in a world where “time and chance happen to them all” (Ecc. 9:11). But don’t lie to yourself about God’s pattern. A fallen, lazy, and excuse-making man is always looking for a way out of Christian effort. Chesterton once said it well, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”

Since that ideal is, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect,” (Matt. 5:48) each new day you have the opportunity to put on the new man. But that renewal of human nature is all encompassing, involving your mind, body, soul, and strength. Today God meets with you and that means He requires more of you. So you must be about your sowing, raising, and laboring. Sure it is difficult. But you probably won’t die. Sure it is difficult. But who really thought being like our Father in heaven would be easy?