For many years, since I was young, I have relished in the view of sun bursting from behind clouds, or really any time the sun rays can be seen streaming across the sky in stark contrast to the rest of the expanse. When I see this, I feel better the reality of God’s presence and get a sense of being enveloped in His love.

There is a song by Toby Mac that talks about love breaking through and finding us in our darkness. I’ve definitely had those moments in my life when God’s love pierced through the darkness in my life, some big moments as well as those little moments in the midst of the everyday.

I can honestly say that there are many of those times that I would have missed God’s rays reaching out to me if I hadn’t been open to looking for and noticing Him, in even the smallest of details. Though I’ve been aware of Him since I was a child, learning to look for and recognize Him has taken much of my adult life thus far, and still there are times I’m sure I don’t realize He’s trying to break through my thoughts to get to my heart and soul.

The most significant difference I can see in whether I notice Him or not comes from my own choices and behaviors. I must be intentional, purposeful, in choosing to turn my mind to see the good, true, lovely , etc, as well as being thankful and grateful, positive, on purpose. This doesn’t often come naturally to me, being a melancholy personality who struggles with anxiety. So, I have to pray ahead of time that God would keep me in His truth and dispel the lies that would keep me from noticing His ways of speaking to my heart, His love breaking through in the midst of all my human-ness.

The cool and wonderful thing is that He does it! He faithfully breaks through my darkness and shows me His light….and in the end , my heart grows more grateful, more trusting, and more aware of His love and presence.