Where's the Effort?

1 John 1:9
Romans 6
1 Corinthians 15:10
2 Corinthians 6:1
Through Christ's sacrifice, we are forgiven for our sin. However, just because we've been forgiven doesn't mean we shouldn't try to do better.
This is like a coach who doesn't bench you because you make one mistake. He'll forgive you. But you must work hard to correct the mistake. To continue to perform poorly despite the proper coaching is to make a fool out of the coach. A coach can't use someone who doesn't care enough to get better.
How does the player get better? He/she improves through submission and practice; submission to the coach's correction and proper practice. "Perfect practice makes perfect."
We can't get better on our own. We must submit to God. Trying harder won't help because we don't know the correct way to do it. Our perfect practice is submitting to God in every thought so that nothing feels right until we do.