人在碰到困难时，很容易会沮丧。不过无论受到折磨或者痛苦，都不用因此失去信心，因为对你来说原本是很痛苦的事，其实是上天的美妙恩典。

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

在一场船难中，唯一的生存者随着潮水，漂流到一座无人岛上。

He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him,

他天天激动地祈祷神救他能够早日离开此处，回到家乡。

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

他还每天注视着海上有否可搭救他的人，但却是除了汪洋一片，什么也没有。

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

后来，他决定用那片带他到小岛的木头造一个简陋的小木屋，以保护他在这险恶的环境中生存，并且保存他所有剩下的东西。

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，准备回小屋时，突然发现他的小屋竟然陷在熊熊烈火之中， 大火引起的浓烟不断向天上窜。

The worst had happened; everything was lost.

最悲惨的是：他所有的一切东西，在这一瞬间通通化为乌有了。

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

悲痛的他，气愤的对天吶喊着：神啊!你怎么可以这样对待我!顿时，眼泪从他的眼角中流出。

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

第二天一早，他被一艘正靠近小岛的船只的鸣笛声所吵醒。

It had come to rescue him.

是的，有人来救他了。

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

到了船上时，他问那些船员说：「你怎么知道我在这里?」

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

「因为我们看到了信号般的浓烟。」他们回答说。 人在碰到困难时，很容易会沮丧。

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

不过无论受到折磨或者痛苦，都不用因此失去信心，因为上帝一直在我们心里面做着奇妙的工作。

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

记住：当下一次你的小木屋着火时，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.

在所有我们所认为负面的事情，上帝都是有正面答案的。