When We Believe God's Promises are Threatened

None of us would ever admit it, but our lives manifest the disbelief we often have in the promises God has made.  He will never leave us, and yet at times we feel so entirely alone.  He will supply our ever need (Phil. 4:19), and yet at times we are completely without anything and more bills seem to come our way.  He will work all things out together for good (Rom. 8:28), and yet we are left in utter disbelief when our nightmare becomes our reality.  And so in all this we appear caught up in a real struggle to believe God's promises are valid.

The New Metric

I can remember years ago standing up on a bigger platform, watching the thousands who came to a church gathering each weekend.  There I was with guitar and microphone singing to the LORD and inviting people to join me in an expression of worship.  For the most part I enjoyed what I did, though I had little means of measuring it.  What sort of impact did it have?  What did it mean in the lives of people?  What sort of eternal imprint was GOD leaving as a result of it all?  I specifically remember asking many around me, "What difference is this making?"  All of these questions and more flooded my mind each week in both my preparation and presentation.