May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12:23

You know that argument you had with your spouse last night?  Turns out, there’s some good that can come of it.

Relationships–definitely marriage, give us unlimited opportunities for sanctification to take place in our lives.  That’s a fancy word for the process that God works in the person in whom Christ lives, that enables us to become more like Christ. God made us for relationship.  In relationship, we are tools in God’s hand to work out His best in each other’s lives If we’ll submit to what God wants to build into us through our, sometimes challenging, relationships with other people.

About that point that your husband or wife was trying to make last night about your behavior?  You might need to give that some thought! God works in our relationships with others to return us to the right path and help grow our holiness.

So, will conflict with others come?  Yes.  Especially if we want to grow to be more like Jesus and the selves He created us individually to be. Do we need to fear the conflict?  No.  God promises to provide everything that we need for living a life of godliness in 2 Peter 1:3. Will it hurt?  Sorry, yes.

I don’t look forward to potential discomfort and pain.  But I choose relationship.  I choose the inevitable sanding, chipping and polishing of myself because I know I am not going to have to do relationship without the Holy Spirit’s help. Your spouse, your family, co-workers and friends are hand-picked implements that God will use to create His beauty in your life, if you’re willing to let Him work through your relationships.

 

Resource reading: 2 Peter 1:2-9