The spiritual life is not lived in neutral territory. Each day involves a battle — for purity of heart, clarity of mind, and fidelity to Christ. Rather than denying this struggle, we are invited to sanctify our battle by bringing it directly to God.
Victory through Transformation
To sanctify the battle means to pray not only for victory, but for transformation. It means asking God to purify our intentions, discipline our passions, and order our desires toward love and service. When we offer our actions to God, even our weaknesses become areas where God’s grace can act.
The following traditional Prayer for Purity is a powerful way to end each day by placing body and soul under the lordship of Christ.
My God, thou who hast given me a body to keep pure and clean and healthy for thy service and my eternal happiness, forgive me for all my unfaithfulness in this great responsibility. Forgive me for every mean use which I have made of thy gifts in thought, word, or deed since my rebirth as thine own adopted child in Baptism and my registration as a soldier of Jesus on the day of my Confirmation.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and give me a steadfast will that I may be a strength to others around me. Teach me to reverence my body and the bodies of my fellow creatures. Help me to see the glory of perfect manhood in Jesus Christ and of perfect womanhood in Mary Immaculate. Inspire me with such love for the ideals for which our Savior lived and died, that all my passions and energies will be caught up into the enthusiasm of His service and evil things will lose their power. May my body be the servant of my soul, and may both body and soul be Thy servants, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Instruments not Obstacles
This prayer reminds us that our bodies are not obstacles to holiness, but instruments meant for God’s glory. When body and soul are united in service to Christ, evil loses its power, and our lives become a quiet yet profound witness to grace.
May our daily struggles be sanctified, and may Christ reign fully in us.
What Does It Mean to Sanctify Your Spiritual Battle?
To sanctify your spiritual battle means to offer your struggles directly to God rather than fighting them alone. It involves asking for transformation, not merely relief — allowing grace to purify desires and strengthen the will. Instead of seeing weakness as defeat, we place it under Christ’s lordship so it may become a place of growth. In doing so, the battle itself becomes a path to holiness.
