we all wrestle with this I guess. There arent any easy answers here and I agree that Paul can make it seem an impossible task at times. You have to take this question straight to God himself perhaps. He will find ways to tell you the truth much better than we can . . .
perhaps the greatest temptation is to give up because we don't think we are good enough to come to God but God is still there at the end of every day whether we return to him or not. Besides, we don't come before God justified at the end of any day except through Christ. What does Jesus say somewhere? For God nothing is impossible? and so we hope against hope don't we?