In a shipwreck, only one survivor was washed to an uninhabited island by the waves. He prayed devoutly and asked God to help him to be rescued as soon as possible. Every day, he watched the possible help on the horizon, but nothing appeared.
Later, exhausted, he managed to build a hut out of drifting wood to shelter from the wind and rain, and also stored several things. But one day, when he came back looking for food, he found that his hut was on fire and the smoke went straight into the sky. The worst thing happened, and everything was gone. He almost fainted because of grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" He shouted.
However, the next morning, he was awakened by the sound of a ship bound for the island, which came to save him. "How did you know I was here?" The tired man asked his rescuer, "We saw your signal smoking." The rescuer replied.
It's easy for us to get depressed when things get bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because even when we are in pain and suffering, there is God working in our lives.
Remember, the next time you light a hut on the ground, it may just be a signal smoke calling for God's grace. No matter what negative things we face, God will give us a positive answer!