Rainbow Faith

I love rainbows. They are beautiful and rare and they hold a special place in my heart. For me rainbows are a connection with God. That probably sounds odd since we are surrounded by God, all of creation sings His name and the Holy Spirit Himself lives within me. But whenever I see rainbows, whether they are huge or small, amongst the clouds or in the garden sprinkler, they remind me of God.

That was their original intention. God created them after the Great Flood to remind us of His covenant with all living creatures on this earth (Genesis 9:1-17). I’d see them and think of God and smile and thank Him. Then I started to see them when I was stressed or worried about something. The rainbow would remind me that God is here and He will look after me and carry me through my problems. Then on my twentieth Christian birthday I saw the hugest, fattest, brightest rainbow I’d ever seen in my life and it hadn’t even been raining. What a marvel, what a blessing. I was so delighted I felt like a little child again.

But then I started to rely on the rainbows. I went looking for them when I needed reassurance. I sought them when I needed to know I had God’s approval. When I didn’t see them for a long time I feared God’s disappointment in me. Then I realised that I was searching for signs rather than approaching God himself.

I’ve stopped seeing rainbows altogether now. I believe it’s God’s way of reminding me that my rainbow faith had become a crutch. It stopped me from putting all my trust in God. Oddly enough, by not seeing them even when there should be one, I am now reminded that God is continuing to look after me, continuing to love me, and continuing to be faithful to me even when I’m not faithful to Him.