The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Everyday 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.
One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, 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 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.
The Moral of This Story:
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we should not lose heart, because God is at work in our lives... even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.
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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.
As a Christian in Recovery I can say that God turns up the heat sometimes to purify our Hearts and get out the impurities. It is like when a Silversmith or Goldsmith when he is at work refining the rough ore. The flame has to reach an extremley intense heat to burn off the drose. We are the drose. "OUCH" God always says that it is painful disciplining his children but that in the end it willl bring in a Harvest of Righteousness.
Our situation right now is so like GOD, my husbands unemployment and I don't work from disablilites. But we have all debts paid, except our Mortgage payment. My husband has landed a side job working for my Daddy, we took in a gal from the Church, someone Blessed us financially, and we still Tithe to GOD what he asks for in "HIS WORD," and he promises to Bless us back.
I have walked through Sobriety with an only Son lost to the WORLD, a husband that has had Cancer, Diabetes, 4 job loses in 13 years, a Sponsors Death, a Brother in Prison, and many other things. I haven't drank, smoked, or used illegal drugs, but I have eaten ice cream and junk food. I went from an 8 to a 14 in my figure size. I am weigh over weight right now and I need help with that part of my life. I still have a pretty face but I have lost the desire to care about the rest because of the Illness.
GOd's in Control of my eating habits if I'll give them to him.
