Perhaps the first place to start is to say that not everyone who claims to be a Christian is a Christian. Where you could be born into a Jewish family you've got to be born again into Christ's family. So no one can make themselves a Christian - you can try to look like one, walk like one or talk like one, but unless the Holy Spirit has shown you you're sin and Christ's death as the sufficient sacrifice for your sin - you cannot be a Christian merely by trying.
Secondly, in Newman's (2004) words "salvation doesn't mean perfection". Somehow the idea exists that Christians claim to be perfect, while exactly the opposite is true. It's probably the only religion where the requirement for membership is to admit not only imperfection but corruption and sin! But the Christian life is a journey where we become more and more like Christ over time. "We have been saved (past) from the penalty of sin, we are saved (present) from the power of sin and someday we will be saved(future) from the presence of sin. Meanwhile a mix of spiritual successes and failures remains more the norm than does total victory." (Newman again).
Bible
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18
Prayer
Our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we cannot become more like you by simply by trying harder. If anything, trying to be like you while our hearts have not been transformed by you is much harder. Please help each and everyone of us to confess our sin to you openly and freely, expecting you to forgive us and giving us your Spirit to become more and more like you. Amen
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