Where There’s Smoke…
“Never think that God’s delays are God’s denials.”
~ George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon
A lone shipwreck survivor on an uninhabited island managed to build a crude hut in which he placed all that he had saved from the sinking ship. He prayed to God for deliverance, and anxiously scanned the horizon each day to hail any passing ship.
One day he was horrified to find his hut in flames. All that he had was gone. To the man’s limited vision, it was the worst that could happen and he cursed God. Yet, the very next day a ship arrived. “We saw your smoke signal,” the captain said.
Hmmm!
Ever have a big project fall through? Been disappointed when a friend or loved one failed to come through for you when you needed them? Have you wondered why a goal or objective wasn’t achieved as expected?
You’ve probably noticed that we don’t get everything we would like, exactly when we think we should. Yet, it’s amazing how certain things just show up in our lives when we least expect to see them – like the rescue ship.
It is often said that we “shouldn’t get too attached to outcomes.” We can set objectives, believe they can be achieved, and work to make them happen, but it’s best not to get too attached to the outcome. What appears to be a worthy goal may go down in flames, only to be replaced with a magnificent result we had not anticipated.
When you find your hut in flames and fear the worst, think back to this oft quoted reminder: “Fear knocked at the door – faith answered – no one was there!”