You paid a pretty penny for the Gore-Tex label on those pants, but it was money well spent. Gore-Tex is worth the hype and money, but you need to take care of it.

1. It's 100% waterproof. Guaranteed.
Short of a hole in your pants or poor manufacturing (ie. leaking seams), your pants won't leak.

2. Don't confuse "waterproof" with "warmth".
At home, stick your pants under cold running water from the sink. Now put your hand inside those pants. Within a minute, the pants will stick to your hand. It will feel like the pants are leaking, but they aren't. The Gore-Tex is simply transferring the coldness of the water to your hand. That's why you should dress in layers (preferably non-cotton ones).

3. The coating is called "DWR" and it needs to be replaced on occasion.
Remember the first time you wore those pants? The rain literally bubbled up on them and ran down your leg like rain hitting a newly waxed car. That's because the Gore-Tex has something called a Durable Water Repellent coating that repells the rain. Older Gore-Tex products need to have that DWR replaced; this can be done by spraying your jacket or pants with a DWR spray (about $6 at Bass Pro). I've even ironed my Gore-Tex jacket to keep the Gore-Tex layer in place which improves performance.

4. Gore-Tex won't breathe if it's dirty.
Your pants are seven years old? They're probably dirty. That dirt can imbed itself into the fabric and clog up the microscopic holes which allow body heat to escape. If, at the end of the day, you feel like it's raining in your pants, more than likely it's because you've been sweating up a storm and your pants aren't breathing properly. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning it (typically says "wash in cold water and air dry").

Hope this helps keep you dry next time.