despair

that is the point of everything God does in us: despair.

I've been talking to God about this for years. I understand the purpose of suffering in His plan. I've experienced it (nothing terribly awful, but I have suffered), but why-o-why-o-why does God let us sin? Surely there is no glory for Him to gain in that!
...yes, there is the question of free will, but let's ignore that for a moment, shall we? We believe God is all-soveriegn, do we not? so with that...
WHY DOES GOD LET US SIN???

despair.

God's goal is our total dependence on Him. That will not come, due to our nasty old dead selves that still pop up more often than we wish(!), until we have reached the end of our resources. So God, in His kindness, for His glory, sets out to cause us to despair - in ourselves ---and hope - in God. And God alone.
There are two ways He does that: sin and suffering.

Here's the thing: in every story I have read, there is this shining moment when all at once the suffering is transfigured, the sin is killed, everything is all in a snapshot clear as Heaven's day, and nothing is ever the same. So for years (on and off) I've been praying for that moment of truth, the paradigm shift that will change everything.

And then, this afternoon: 2 things::
1) Everything is already changed.
2) You're waiting for lightning/
a sign that it's time for a change/
you're listening for thunder/
as He quietly whispers your name...

no big AHA! moment.
no paradigm shift.
no earthquakes.
even, no palpable feeling of God's presence.

just: you know the truth. Start living like it.