Practicing righteousness is by grace through faith alone. The Christian life is not difficult, hard or challenging to live in your own strength, it’s impossible. The Christian life cannot be lived in your own strength; it must be lived in Christ’s strength. Grace through faith is the operating principle of the Christian life – it cannot be lived in any other way. We are either involved in strenuous moral striving, or exercising faith and trust in Christ. According to Ezek 36:26-27, it is the Holy Spirit within us that causes us, moves us and makes it possible for us to live for God. Phil 2:13 (AMP) is equally as inspiring when it says, "[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.”