Have you ever caught yourself thinking, I thought I already dealt with this sin?
Maybe you prayed about it. Maybe you confessed it. Maybe you truly believed you had victory over it. And then—sometimes just an hour later—it shows up again. It can feel a little like playing whack-a-mole with your sin. You push it down, and suddenly it pops back up somewhere else.
If you’ve experienced that, you’re not alone. What you’re experiencing is part of something the Christian life calls sanctification.
Read the transcript for this episode.
Salvation, Sanctification, and Glorification
Many of us grew up hearing a lot about salvation—and rightly so. Salvation is the moment when we recognize our need for God to rescue us from our sin and by grace He gives us new life through Christ. But salvation is not the end of the story.
In the Christian life, there are three main stages:
Salvation – the moment we accept God’s grace and forgiveness.
Sanctification – the lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus.
Glorification – the day we are finally in Heaven with Christ and free from sin completely.
Sanctification is that long middle season. It’s the bookends between salvation and heaven.
And here’s the hard truth: it’s not a one-and-done process. It takes time.
The Sanctification Process: Becoming More Like Jesus
Sanctification simply means becoming more like Jesus. It’s the process of laying down what we want and choosing what God desires instead.
One verse that gives me so much encouragement in this process is:
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
God began the work in us, and He is the one who will complete it. Our role is to keep showing up—to keep walking with Him as He changes us from the inside out.
Heart Change vs Behavior Change
One of the most important things to understand about sanctification is that God is not simply fixing behavior. He desires to change the heart – mind, soul, and spirit.
Behavior modification can work for a short time. We can hold it together for a week or so if we really try. But sanctification is deeper than that. It’s when the Holy Spirit begins reshaping what we love, what we value, and how we respond.
For example, a parent may struggle with anger when the house is messy or children are arguing. Over time, God may reveal that the anger is connected to a deeper issue—like a desire to control the environment or the people around us. As God works on the heart, the response begins to change.
Instead of reacting in frustration, we respond with patience. Instead of snapping, we choose to have calm communication. That’s the fruit of sanctification.
Spiritual Habits That Help Growth
While God is the one doing the transforming work, there are a few habits that help keep our hearts pointed in the right direction.
- Time in God’s Word
Reading Scripture keeps truth in front of us when the world is constantly telling us something different. - Prayer
Not just quick prayers during the day, but honest conversations with God about what is happening inside our hearts. - Christian Community
We need other believers who love us enough to speak truth, encourage us, and walk alongside us.
How Everyday Life Shapes Holiness
With our inner compass set toward God, even the most ordinary parts of life become tools for our growth. Parenting is a not-so-fun example.
Many parents enter the journey believing that if they do everything correctly, they can control the outcome of their children’s lives. But eventually we realize something important: every person has a sinful heart.
We can guide our children, teach them, and point them toward truth, but we cannot remove their sinful desires. Only God can do that.
Those parenting struggles often become tools God uses to refine us. Sometimes it feels like gentle sandpaper. For me it has sometimes felt more like a table saw. But I can trust that God doesn’t waste any pain.
Grace That Fuels the Journey
Another key part of sanctification is learning to respond quickly when we realize we’ve sinned. Instead of ignoring it or planning to deal with it later (I’ll start on Monday…), we can immediately turn to God and confess it. That also includes apologizing to the people around us when our sin affects them.
For parents especially, this becomes a powerful moment of discipleship. When children see a parent admit mistakes, ask forgiveness, and turn back to God, they learn what humility and grace look like.
And here is some good news! God’s grace is abundant. When sin reappears and discouragement sets in, the first step is not shame—it’s returning to Him. Every time we recognize sin and turn back to God, we are experiencing His grace again.
But that grace isn’t meant to keep us comfortable in sin. Instead, it invites us to keep growing, keep pursuing Christ, and keep becoming more like Him.
What To Do When You Feel Stuck
But maybe you feel stuck in the sanctification process. You’re praying the same prayers. You’re asking God for change. But it feels like nothing is moving. These seasons can feel like a desert.
But often these are the seasons where the deepest growth happens. When we finally realize we cannot fix ourselves, we begin to depend completely on God. And that dependence is exactly where real change begins.
A Lifelong Race Toward Christ
Scripture often describes the Christian life as a race. Not a sprint. A marathon.
Every day we face choices. Will I choose my way, or God’s way?
Some days we stumble. Some days we run well. But through it all, God continues shaping us.
And the song of sanctification slowly becomes the song of our hearts: Make me more like You, Jesus.
Easter is right around the corner, whether you have been preparing for this day or it has slipped up on you, the ABCJesusLovesMe website contains a plethora of simple ideas to help explain the importance of this holiday to children. Choose a fun Easter idea today!
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