God is at work in our lives

God is at work in our lives

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 scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home 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 weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied. It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly.
But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. When we are in the point of asking, "God, how can you do this to me?" we can find the answer in prayer. Like Job we need to turn to God and speak to Him. Let us recommend ourselves to God for His mercy and compassion. We may not understand what's happening to us right now, but let us believe God knows what is best for us. Helen Steiner Rice once said, "Whenever we are troubled, and when everything goes wrong, it is just God working in us to make our spirits strong." Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground--it just may be a smoke signal that summons The Grace of God.