The only survivor of a shipwreck was found on a small uninhabited island. He was praying fervently, asking God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but it never came.
Exhausted, he eventually began to build a small hut to shelter himself, and his few possessions.
But one day, after searching for food, he came back and found the little hut on fire, the smoke rising into the sky. The worst thing that had happened was that all his things had been lost. He was confused and angry with God and crying he said: “How could you do this to me?” Then, very tired and discouraged, he fell asleep on the sand.
Early the next morning, he was astonished to hear the sound of a ship approaching the island. They were coming to rescue him, and he asked them, “How did you know I was here?” And his rescuers replied, “We saw the smoke signals you were sending for us.”
It is easy to get upset when things go wrong. But we must not lose heart, because God is working in our lives in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember the next time your little shack burns down, it may simply be a smoke signal arising from the grace of God.
Despite all the negative things that may happen to us, we must tell ourselves, God has a positive answer to all of this.

Source: Jorge René Nomme Naranjo.