“The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. 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. 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 [toward heaven],’ 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's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't 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.” (I wish I knew the author to credit them.)
That
‘islander’ had a paradigm shift about his little hut on fire. My feelings have also changed concerning two children’s chronic illnesses and
other trials in my life. At first, I felt like my ill daughter was a victim of poor genetics. I
even wondered at times if we were somehow forgotten by God. When one of
my children was a victim of a violent crime, I really went down into despair.
Back then, I did not
realize fully that the Atonement of Jesus Christ could reach out and bless my tender heart at
that moment and the next day, and the next. Studying spiritual re-patterning, or energy healing has shown me that the atonement of Christ can help
