I have spent a lot of time digging in to the doctrine of sanctification over the past several months, John Stott helped me out with "Men Made New" and now Thomas Watson is helping me out as well.
When we think about sanctification we seem to shy away a bit don't we? We think of everything it will cost us. It costs us time, energy, we need to will ourselves to study more, pray harder and give up some of our desires... we always seem to focus on what it costs us.
Most of the time you are encouraged to look above that. Look to the exceeding joy of knowing Christ and look at fulfillment and peace and living as we were meant to as the fruit of the process of sanctification.
Watson also has us look up, at what sanctification costs God. He argues that making the entire universe cost God MUCH less than what it costs Him to make one "new creature (2 Cor. 5:17):
1. When God made the world He met with no opposition—but when God is about to make a new creature He meets with opposition. Satan opposes Him, and the heart opposes Him.
2. It cost God nothing to make the world—but to make the new creature costs Him something. Christ Himself was glad to become man. In making the world, it was but speaking a word; but, in making of the new creature, it cost Christ the shedding of His blood!
3. God made the world in six days—but He is carrying on the new creature in us all our lives long. The new creature is but begun here; it is not perfected or fully drawn in all its orient colors—until it comes to heaven.
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