My watch tracks all sorts of things. It can tell you my heart rate, my elevation, my oxygen saturation, and my sleep depth. It can even tell the time. And on top of all of that, it can tell me how many steps I’ve taken and how close I am to my goal of a healthy amount of steps.
Of course, on some days, my watch finds my number of steps incomplete. On those days I didn’t make my goal. Thousands and thousands of steps toward the goal, but only hundreds or tens incomplete as I review the step count as I’m climbing into bed. No credit that day. No little haptic feedback with stars and fireworks images in the display read out. Just incompleteness.
This is what righteousness feels like for us. Great steps forward, but still incomplete. So much better at serving my neighbor and loving God than I was one month ago, but still incomplete. All have sinned and fallen short.
God in Christ justifies us. Brings us up to completion. Every night you lay down, no matter your steps, He assures you that all has been made whole. Stars and fireworks. All of heaven rejoicing when one sinner repents, when one is made complete.