Cart before the horse

Tips and techniques can’t transform a heart or kill sin. Am I saying that we should ditch the helpful tips altogether? No. Instead we should give them the proper roles in our lives. We love to break our problems into small pieces, thinking that if we do so we can easily understand and master them. The key to the Christian life, however, is letting go of control and yielding to the One who can ultimately form true righteousness inside us. Methods and ten-step plans may add to what God has done, but they’re no substitute for His work.—What’s Your Secret? page 97