Turned Upside Down

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Wow, it has been a crazy start to the school year. This year, even more so than normal, the world seems to be spinning out of control. For me, this was a literal realization earlier this month.

During our week of teacher meetings before students arrive the following week, I experienced something that I hope I never go through again: vertigo. Without warning, on what seemed a regular day, my world literally started spinning out of control.

I couldn’t stand. Walking was a joke. I threw up like 10 times, and all I could think was, “What is going on?” The feeling continued into the next day and my doctor, after checking me out, told me I had vertigo. Besides the Alfred Hitchcock movie, I really knew nothing about this wonderful disorder.

What I learned is that it can happen in the blink of an eye. One minute you’re upright and the next your world is upside down. It can last for one day, a week or maybe even a month. Your inner ear and the crystals contained within are the problem.

What? Who knew I had crystals in my ear?

Luckily for me, the worst of it (spinning upside down on the ceiling) only lasted a couple of days. Then it moved more to the background, and I’m happy to report that as of right now, it is pretty much gone.

As I have spent some time going over how crazy and how fast the vertigo hit me, I realized it was a lot like our Christian walk can be. You’re going along happy-go-lucky, loving everything and everyone God has created, and all of a sudden, out of nowhere, you’re spinning out of control.

Before you know it, you’re crawling, disoriented, and praying to God that this will stop.

In such cases we don’t call it vertigo, but rather, life. Life can certainly cause us to be upside down, not knowing which way is up anymore. In times like this, I will fall back and lean on John 16:33: I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Peace was something I was looking for in the midst of vertigo and it certainly is something we all want in life. We are lucky to have a Heavenly Father who knows we need that peace before we even ask for it.

When that vertigo hit me, I needed help. In 1 Timothy 2:1, we are told to pray and intercede for all people. I believe this is because God uses His “agents” to help those in need. Praying for others also gets us ready for the action God needs from us. We become His hands and feet and bring His love to people in need.

I certainly have experienced those people when I was spinning out of control. Our school nurse was like an angel when my world literally turned upside down, as was my wonderful daughter.

As far as figuratively speaking, when my world has spun and twisted out of control, God has sent family members, friends, ministers, coworkers and student athletes who have blessed me in various ways. All of this led to calming and a certain peace that can only come from Him.

Matthew 5:9 says that the peace keepers shall be blessed.I feel that scripture is intended for those who not just keep the peace, but also bring that peace to others. They certainly blessed me and I hope God blesses them. God has sent us out to love others, and what better way is there to show God’s love than to be His “Agent of Peace”?

I certainly hope I never go through vertigo again and hope it never happens to you either. But remember, vertigo or not, if your world is spinning out of control, ask God for help and one way or another, He will send you His peace. Until next time…