I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
We must be awakened to the reality of Christ living in us. Being made new creations in Christ, we can experience Him as a living person and allow Him to completely rule and reign over our lives.
To be Christlike is not about modifying our behaviour to be like Him. Rather it is uncovering the beauty in what He has already made beautiful in us. Hence, we are not trying to become better version of ourselves, but rather we are inhabiting in the reality of the perfections of Christ.
Jesus lives in us and manifests Himself through us.
His union and oneness with us enable us to live the Christian life.
We are made completely new in Him. As we grow in His grace, we will still stumble in many ways, but we can rest in Christ to perfect us in Him. This is the basis for His righteousness being imputed to us. The life-giving presence and power of Christ, through his Spirit, living within us that enables us to live faithfully and righteously.
When we don't know or we forget who we are and what we have in Christ, the Christian life becomes spiritually dysfunctional and dry. Everything is about achieving spiritual goals or meeting expectations, and not gratefully receiving and enjoying God's gifts of righteousness, peace and salvation.
When we truly rest in the finished work of Christ, all we do overflows from the awareness of our identity in Christ what He has done for us. There is no fear of failures or disappointing God because it is His Spirit working in us and through us to do His good work.