Disillusionment - The Holy Spirit's Way of Saying, "What are You Doing Here?"
If you are disillusioned, it means you first anchored your life on an illusion. Our loving Father in heaven gave us the gift of disillusionment to stop us in our tracks and make us think. It is the same process we see with Elijah. The prophet had some really great dreams in his mind regarding Mount Carmel. When you stop and hear what Elijah had to say in his cave in the middle of his depression, you can't help but see the great hope he had for the nation after the shoot-out at Mount Carmel.
Elijah had high hopes of great change. Perhaps a national revival was in his thinking. But, after the shoot-out, to the naked eye everything seemed the same. Then Jezebel issued her death threat and suddenly, the heart of Elijah started its downward spirial of disillusionment all the way to depression. The cave he hides out in represents his depression.
God comes along and asks a question. "Elijah, what are you doing here?" Why ask such a question when you are God? Well, why ask Adam and Eve why they are hiding? It opens the door for human beings to re-think. "Yes, what am I doing here?"
The gift of disillusionment asks us the same question. God is saying, "Stop and re-think. Don't quit. Don't give up, just stop and think. What went wrong? What were you anchoring your life or hopes on? Why were you hanging your hat on a promise I never gave you? Why were you expecting great change so suddenly?"
God had to explain to Elijah that much was being accomplished even if it did not meet Elijah's expectations or dreams. There were 7,000 people who had not bent their knee to Baal. Work was being done for the Kingdom and more was needed, and it was time for Elijah to come out of his male cave of depression and head back to where he had come from - to do more work for the Kingdom.
It is God's plan, and God's family, and many things are happening even if you and I don't see it. We need to move forward in faith and not set up in our hearts promises that God never gave us. Dis-illusionment is a gift. It can be the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives giving us the correction and direction we need. Next time you feel bewildered and disillusioned, just picture God asking you in a kind voice, "What are you doing here?"