don't

tell me, if you can, how sexual abuse glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how a father's disappearance, leaving his wife and children abandoned, glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how a wife suffering at the hands of her husband glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how infertility glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how adultery and humiliation glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how separation and divorce glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how losing a home glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how utter despair glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how bankruptcy and identity theft glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how struggling to fit and being rejected glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how getting laid off glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how possible financial ruin - again - glorifies the LORD?

tell me, if you can, how anything in my life glorifies the LORD?

i've seen enough trial and struggle to last 10 lifetimes. don't talk to me about trials, storms and struggles. i've seen Him be faithful to bring me out of some of these situations. some, He's seen fit to leave me in. a friend of mine recently wrote me an email saying that the entire Body of the ring is suffering and that she is blown away by His sovereignty. His sovereignty??? another friend of mine recently told me that He has shown her that He is bringing me to a place where i will be settled, and that everything going on in my life is ultimately going to glorify Him. really... i wonder why He has not seen fit to show me the same thing? oh, that's right... His sovereignty. His choice. His plan. His story.

we're taught to embrace struggles, to thank Him for trusting us with trials - that storms are allowed by Him to come against us. this is biblical, to be sure. however, the idea that we are supposed to lie down and take this crap does not ring true to me. it is, in fact, a very dangerous thing to do. fine, you want to talk about embracing a fight - then embrace it the way william wallace did - head on with a full frontal assault. we're taught that our struggles are not against flesh and blood, but against evil - to be wary and alert - that our enemy prowls around day and night seeking those whom he can devour. we're also taught that there is a time and a season for everything - and everything in me is screaming FIGHT.

we're given the POWER of the Blood of Christ for a reason. we're given the armor of God for a reason. personally, i'm tired of being in this place. i'm tired of seeing the Body suffer. when are we going to stand up and fight - not individually, but as a united Body - of one heart and one mind? we've been given EVERYTHING we need for life and godliness - for His sake and ours - let's use it - let's get out of this place and let's get on with this story.