A Bit Off Kilter

Have you ever felt “off kilter”? Some mornings I wake up and feel a bit “off kilter”. Sometimes during the day, something will happen and I can feel a little bit “off kilter”. Do you know what I mean?  Something can happen and all of a sudden I feel a bit … hmmmm, how do you say…”off kilter”.  So what exactly does “off kilter” mean? Well I looked it up and it means “off-balanced”. But it can also mean “cranky, erratic, wacky, weird, off-the-wall or peculiar. Boy, this BLOG is starting to sound wacky.

Okay, we need to sort this out… what are we talking about here? Let me give you an example. Yesterday I was talking to a friend and he mentioned he ran into an old acquaintance, who brought up a very old “disagreement”. While I barely remember this guy, all of a sudden I could feel myself getting a bit off balanced. In my mind, I’m wondering about the theoretical issue, playing it around in my mind. I’m not involved, I don’t know what the issue is, and yet I’m a bit “off kilter”. Hmmmm.

Here’s another one. Last night I had a problem with my new C-Pap machine. I really like my “Res Med Model 11”. I’ve been telling people about it; it’s quieter, more comfortable, smaller.  But then in the middle of the night, I’m sleeping like a baby, and it starts making this noise and sprinkling water on my face. You heard me right, I’m very comfortable and this “beep-beep-beep noise” starts and then I notice my face is wet. I get up make some adjustments, go back to bed, but I wake up later with a wet face. To be honest, I woke up a “bit off kilter”. What am I going to do with my new Res Med Model 11? I made some further adjustments, cleaned it all up, did a quick trial, but I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight when I give it another try. To be honest, I’m a tiny bit “off kilter”.

Well the above are just two of the 37 examples I could mention of things that can knock me a bit “OK”. (OK = abbreviation for Off Kilter). So you must be wondering why isn’t Dave in the “Nut House” if he’s spending most of his day being “OK”.  The good news is that I generally don’t spend a lot of time in this condition. I usually say a prayer and ask the Lord to help me. Often the simple truth sets me free, sometimes it’s just changing what I’m doing, maybe helping someone. Sometimes the devil is pestering me.

We know the devil can sneak around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. St. Peter tells us to “Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you. Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world.(1Peter5:7-9) I often quickly dismiss the devil by the authority of our Lord Jesus…. and I regain my peace.

So it’s not a big deal to feel off kilter at times. There’s all kinds of things that can knock us off balance. Let’s just keep fighting the good fight of faith, calling on the name and power of our dear Lord who is always there to help us. And before you know it, we’re back on our game. And that is very good news.

P.S. Just to ward off any potential “OK”, I’m going to wear a wet suit to bed tonight with my Res Med, Model 11.