“In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.”

– Psalm 18:6, 16

John Rippon wrote a wonderful hymn upon his meditation of this text. It is called “How Firm a Foundation.” The third verse paraphrases Psalm 18: “When through the deep waters I call you to go, the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
 For I will be with you, your troubles to bless, and sanctify to you your deepest distress.”

The Lord uses the hard things in our lives for his sanctifying purposes, but we also have a role in this process. J.I. Packer, in his book “A Grief Sanctified: Passing Through Grief to Peace and Joy,” crystallizes what it actually means for us to sanctify an experience or activity:

“Whether our experiences are pleasant or painful, all of life must be handled in such a way that it is sanctified; that is, all activities must be performed, and all experiences received and responded to, in a way that honors God, benefits others as far as possible, and helps us forward in our knowledge and enjoyment of God here as we travel home to the glory of heaven hereafter.”