人在碰到困難時，很容易會沮喪。不過無論受到折磨或者痛苦，都不用因此失去信心，因為對你來說原本是很痛苦的事，其實是上天的美妙恩典。

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island.

在一場船難中，唯一的生存者隨著潮水，漂流到一座無人島上。

He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him,

他天天激動地祈禱神救他能夠早日離開此處，回到家鄉。

and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

他還每天注視著海上有否可搭救他的人，但卻是除了汪洋一片，什么也沒有。

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.

后來，他決定用那片帶他到小島的木頭造一個簡陋的小木屋，以保護他在這險惡的環境中生存，并且保存他所有剩下的東西。

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.

但有一天，在他捕完食物后，準備回小屋時，突然發現他的小屋竟然陷在熊熊烈火之中， 大火引起的濃煙不斷向天上竄。

The worst had happened; everything was lost.

最悲慘的是：他所有的一切東西，在這一瞬間通通化為烏有了。

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

悲痛的他，氣憤的對天吶喊著：神啊!你怎么可以這樣對待我!頓時，眼淚從他的眼角中流出。

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island.

第二天一早，他被一艘正靠近小島的船只的鳴笛聲所吵醒。

It had come to rescue him.

是的，有人來救他了。

“How did you know I was here?” asked the weary man of his rescuers. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied.

到了船上時，他問那些船員說：「你怎么知道我在這里?」

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad.

「因為我們看到了信號般的濃煙。」他們回答說。 人在碰到困難時，很容易會沮喪。

But we shouldn’t lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.

不過無論受到折磨或者痛苦，都不用因此失去信心，因為上帝一直在我們心里面做著奇妙的工作。

Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

記住：當下一次你的小木屋著火時，那可能只是上帝美妙恩典的表征而已。

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

在所有我們所認為負面的事情，上帝都是有正面答案的。