I face this all the time. I do it sometimes and I fall for it sometimes.

Days when you get depressed because you feel like all people in church are facing humongous problems.

Days when you think all marriages suck

Days when you think all people are not managing their finances really well.

Days when you think the state of the church is not where it should be because of the

NOISE.

The noise might be a couple in church who are giving up on their marriage

The noise might be a young person who got pregnant.

The noise might be a fight, a tension, a trauma or a fear that is being played out in front of you as you lead the church

AND

we conclude that the NOISE IS LOUD when we totally ignore the hundreds of changed lives, the marriages that were saved, the families that were restored, the miraculous healing, the new people in church, the disciples being produced, the new cities the church is reaching out to.

When the NOISE is loud, make your PRAISE LOUDER!