Disillusionment

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another. Heb 10:24,25 NIV

My observation is that you only get disillusioned with people or things you care about. The more you care, the greater the disillusionment and disappointment you could feel. Everyone, without exception, at some point in their life will become disillusioned about something, but it is how we cope that can set us apart. It is easier to cope with disappointment, than disillusionment.

I suspect there is great danger to our own well-being when we start to be disillusioned, and especially if we do not address the problem right away. In other words, the problem increases day on day, month on month, until we reach a tipping point. By that time, disappointment has turned into disillusionment, and a point of no return has been reached. Your feelings turn sour, and rational thinking changes to being driven by feelings.

The things which are most likely to disillusion you or me could include:
Parents who turned out to different than you thought, and let you down.
Partners who no longer are the people you married.
Family who went off the track, big time, and don’t care.
Police Force who didn’t protect you in time of trouble.
Medical staff who could have saved your loved one, and didn’t.
Church which no longer holds to the truths once taught, and friends there who are not around when you need them.

This list could have more added, but do not be surprised by church friends being on it. After all, ‘progress’ does not suit everyone, but what about when nothing seems to be happening? Whose fault could that be? Possibly yours or mine! The Bible teaches that we are not to give up meeting together (to encourage and spur each other on), but it doesn’t say where or which church, does it? The common factor in those listed above is that ‘something or someone was found to be missing’, and unfortunately church and its members/friends can fall into that category too. Let me leave you with a thought. How many people do you know, who once came to my/your own local church, and suddenly it seemed, were no longer there? Maybe just maybe, they had stayed long enough out of loyalty, or duty, but not for the right reason you might think. Something or someone might, just might, have been missing for them when it mattered. Could it have been me, or you? Who would go after that one missing, possibly disillusioned ‘sheep’, and  what clues could there be? Who would care? Enough questions, it’s just a thought, and hypothetical surely.