A former survivor of a shipwreck told the story about being washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he would scan the horizon to see if help was coming… but none seemed forthcoming.
Weary of heart and exhausted from gathering his resources to prepare for his grim future, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of some driftwood that was to provide him shelter from the elements, and to store what little possessions he had. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived back at his meager little hut to find it in flames. Oddly, the smoke was rolling up to the sky as if someone were fueling it.
The worst that could have happened, had. Everything was lost. Shocked with grief and anger, he cried out, "God, how could you do this to me!". Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the little island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied!
Discouragement hits it’s hardest when we are already down because of other happenings in our lives. But we should never lose heart, because God is always at work, even right in the midst of the worst of it all. Just remember, that the next time you find your little hut burning to the ground, don’t lose faith! It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace and mercy of God to your needs.
Never let your circumstance dictate your joy sweet friend! You may be shipwrecked due to your current circumstances, but you are never hopeless as long as you have the Lord! Psalm 18:6 says, "In my distress I called upon the Lord….my cry came before Him, even to His ears." Your cries will get His attention when they have become cries of sincere brokenness.
Hold Fast,
Bren
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