Rogue Waves #8

What have we learned so far about Rogue Waves? First, a Rogue Wave is bad news we receive unexpectedly. Everyone experiences a Rogue Wave at some point in life. If one hasn’t hit yet, it will someday. The magnitude of the Rogue Wave determines how much pain you’ll experience and how much time it’ll take to recover.

Next we’ve learned that God allows Rogue Waves for positive reasons. They force you to draw closer to Him thereby developing more Christ-like character within you. Rogue Waves also make you more sensitive to the pain of others who are going through similar experiences. You then comfort them with the same comfort you yourself received from God. Finally, you often find your life purpose through a Rogue Wave. You want to help others by walking with them through their own Rogue Wave.

In the last post we began talking about how to survive Rogue Waves. The first necessity is to let the tears fall. Tears bring healing. In this post we’ll focus on the second requirement: Ask the right question. Edward Hodnett wrote, “If you do not ask the right questions, you do not get the right answers.”

Every person naturally begins by asking, “Why?” Why did this happen? Why did it happen to me? Why did happen now? Why? Why? Why? Phillip Yancey addresses this tendency in “Where Is God When It Hurts?” He points out that people who continually ask the “why question” will never heal – because there is no answer. God explains, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8). Job understood this truth. He lost everything he owned, including his health. Yet he refused to sin by cursing God. Instead, he told his wife, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10b)

God is God; you are not. He does what He does to fulfill His plan for your life. Most likely you’ll never know on this side of heaven the answer to the “why question.” But someday in heaven you’ll know the whole story. Then you’ll fall to your knees and say, “Oh God, I had no idea how good you truly are. Thank You, Lord.”

Phillip Yancey suggests that instead of asking “Why?” you ask “What now?” When bad things happen, you wish with all your heart that things could go back to the way they used to be. But that will never happen. To move on with life you must accept the reality that life will never be the same again.

The next step is to ask God the right question, “What now?” I can tell you from personal experience that there is life – a good life – after the Rogue Wave hits. Although the Rogue Wave turns your “ship” upside down, eventually your life will right itself again. When you resurface, your life will be headed in a new direction. This directional change will ultimately bring you blessing.

In Job 42:12 there’s a truth that’s so wonderful it could only come from a loving and compassionate God. “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first.” In fact, God gave Job twice as many possessions as he had before the Rogue Wave hit.  Verse 17, the last verse of the Book of Job, is equally reassuring. “And so Job died, old and full of years.” One important key to experiencing this blessing is to ask the right question.