Peace When Life’s a Mess | Levi Lusko

Blessed Are the Spiraling

Scripture References

Primary text

• Matthew 5

Other references

• Matthew 5:3
• Matthew 10:39
• Psalm 34:18
• 2 Corinthians 4:17
• Proverbs 20

Overview

Life can feel like a “death wobble”—one moment smooth, the next violently shaking. Jesus’ Beatitudes show that the very seasons that make us feel poor, weak, or out of control are the places God calls “blessed.” When we spiral, God is near, shaping us, and inviting us to respond with worship instead of panic.

Main Points

The upside-down blessing of a wobble

• Story: Pastor Levi’s Jeep shook so violently at 45 mph he had to pull over. A mechanic called it a “death wobble” caused by three worn parts, not one catastrophic failure.
• Spiraling seasons feel the same—several worn-down areas meet a pothole and everything shakes.
• Jesus names such moments “blessed” (Matthew 5) because:
  • God draws near to the broken-hearted (Psalm 34:18).
  • Trials develop eternal weight and Christ-likeness (2 Corinthians 4:17).
  • In God’s kingdom you gain life by losing it (Matthew 10:39).

Six ways to spiral up instead of down

1. Stick to the plan

• Crisis tempts rash decisions—new car, quitting, divorce.
• Don’t change long-term callings in short-term storms; finish what God first told you in the light.

2. Peel away the extra

• Excess possessions, subscriptions, and ego clutter the soul.
• Let identity rest on being God’s child, not on titles, youth, or success.

3. Interpret your struggle accurately

• Show compassion to yourself—“you’ve never been here before.”
• Refuse catastrophizing; invite trusted friends, counselors, and pastors to help you see straight.

4. Retool for the current and coming season

• Seasons change; strategies must too.
• Plan for what’s ahead (wills, finances, aging) while stewarding today. The glory of youth is strength; the splendor of age is gray hair (Proverbs 20).

5. Attack the problem from all angles

• Body, mind, emotions, spirit are intertwined.
• Seek medical checks, counseling, friendship, prayer, and practical adjustments—often several “worn parts” need tightening.

6. Look for beauty

• Awe recalibrates the soul: ocean waves, star fields, a plant’s symmetry, even the spiral of a ram’s horn (shofar).
• Illustration: The Fibonacci spiral shows up in storms, snail shells, and masterpieces—reminding us God builds order into what looks chaotic.
• Blow a “shofar of praise” whenever panic rises; worship shifts perspective.

Key Truths

• Feeling out of control can be a signal that God is especially close.
• Hard seasons are stair-steps for growth, not walls that end the journey.
• Rash choices made in pain often sabotage the very future God is preparing.
• Simplifying possessions and identity makes room for God’s presence.
• Holistic care—spiritual, emotional, physical—honors how God designed us.
• Beauty and worship lift eyes above the wobble and remind the heart of who rules the storm.

Response

• Choose praise the moment anxiety hits. Speak or sing truth aloud.
• Delay major life decisions until peace and wise counsel confirm them.
• Audit your calendar, spending, and self-image; remove needless “extra.”
• Schedule a medical check-up, counseling session, or honest talk with a mentor to address all sides of the struggle.
• Regularly place yourself before awe—walk outside, study creation, notice God’s order.

Closing

A wobbling season is not evidence that life is falling apart but proof that God is inviting you closer and higher. Like the ram’s-horn spiral, each shake can become a trumpet blast of worship that ushers in breakthrough.

“Every time you get into a crisis of pain, blow a shofar of praise.”

Prayer

Father, thank You for drawing near when our hearts are broken. Use these shaking moments to form Christ in us, strip away what is extra, and fill every place with Your peace. Teach us to praise in the middle of the wobble and to trust that You are working all things for our good and Your glory.