The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he stared at the horizon for help, but none seemed coming.

Exhausted, disappointed, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the dangers, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after hunting for food, he reached home only to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; Everything was lost.

  He was stunned with grief and anger. "God how could you do this to me!" he cried.

  Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.

  "How did you know I was here?" asked the poor man with eyes full of tears. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

   It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our earthern lives, even when we are in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time when our little huts is burning to the ground ,it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

    For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it.