It had been a very rough day.  Having occurred so long ago, time has erased many of the day’s details from my memory.  However, I do recall quite vividly the feelings of loneliness and despair that led me to fall upon my knees at my bedside as heartfelt prayers fell from my lips.  Prayers for comfort.  And a hug.  Unfortunately with no one else at home that day to answer the latter prayer, I sank to the floor and sulked.  Moments later, one of our cats trotted across the room and crawled into my lap.  It seems my prayer had been answered after all.

Coincidence?  I think not.  For the cat who entered my bedroom was not our cuddly one, but rather the normally standoffish feline who always had a tendency to do things on his own terms.  A lap cat he certainly was not.

On another much more recent occasion, I recall stumbling upon a Bible verse in my morning devotional that really resonated with me.  One that perfectly addressed an issue with which I had been struggling.  One that popped up again later that day in a book I was reading.  And yet again on a framed print I received as a gift from a dear friend the very next morning.

Coincidence?  I think not.  For the friend who gave me the gift had no idea I had been struggling and no idea the verse would hold any significance for me when she picked out the gift.  Nor that the giving of the gift would occur so soon after my first two encounters with the verse.

I like to call these instances “rays of Sonshine,” those times when God works through the people and circumstances in our lives to reach us and reassure us of His promises.

It’s amazing how loudly and clearly God can speak to us.  If only we’d take the time to slow down long enough to listen for and pay attention to what He is telling us.  Unfortunately, all too often we become so deafened by the noise and blinded by the chaos of daily living that we tend to miss out on the messages He is trying send us, those much-needed rays of Sonshine.

Choosing to listen and look out for these rays of Sonshine can make all the difference, not just in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us as well.  Especially when we take the time to listen for that still, small voice and allow His rays of Sonshine to flow through us.  This is much easier said than done.  Believe me, I know.

After accepting an invitation to a neighborhood gathering scheduled to take place in the the midst of a busy holiday weekend, when the day of the event arrived I began having second thoughts about going.  The week leading up to the event had been an extremely hectic and stressful one and I longed for nothing more than the chance to simply crawl into my pajamas and snuggle beneath a warm blanket.  Instead, having committed to attending, I begrudgingly mustered the energy to don my festive attire and headed to the party.

A short while after arriving, I made my way over to a friend I hadn’t seen in several months.  A friend who, it turns out, was quietly hurting.  A friend who, I realized, needed a ray of Sonshine.  

Coincidence?  I think not.  At that moment I was suddenly quite thankful I made the effort to get past my own black clouds and for the opportunity I was given to shed some Light through hers.

It’s amazing how loudly and clearly God can speak to us.  If only we’d take the time to slow down long enough to listen for and pay attention to what He is telling us.  So make the time to seek out those rays of Sonshine.  And remain open and willing to be one to those around you.