Too often, I think we are afraid to make our requests known to God. For me, I used to be afraid to ask God of certain things because I was afraid he wouldn’t answer.  I was afraid of what that “unanswered prayer” would domino into within my mind.  I was that wave of doubt that would thrash back and forth within the sea as I awaited an answer from God.  My insecurities would well up within me and I would start questioning the existence of God.  James says “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord; they are double-minded and unstable in all they do.” James 1:6-8 

A means in which God has often shown up for me personally is through rainbows. God is the creator of all things, so putting a rainbow in the sky is like passing the ketchup for him.  He can do anything. I was in a tough season and each time I felt desperate for God, a rainbow would show up.  When I would feel like God was silent, a rainbow would show up at the exact right time and supernaturally strengthen me.  While this may sound “coincidental” to some, I can assure you that a “mere coincidence” is unable to give you this type of strength in moments of deep weakness.  

One of my favorite ways to remember how God answers prayers is by writing down my requests before he answers them.  I love writing these requests down, so that when he does answer them (whether he answers how I wanted him to or not), but when I do write these requests down, I can go back and remember that I specifically asked for it.  I often doubt myself, so writing down my requests, answered prayers, etc. helps to grow my confidence in the Lord.  

Moving out of state has been one of the hardest things I’ve had to do personally.  While that feels dramatic to say (especially considering this wasn’t a death), it does feel like I’ve been deeply mourning a season I never wanted to leave.  That being said, I expectantly asked God to give me a rainbow.  I knew that when God would deliver that rainbow, it would give me the strength I needed to keep moving forward in this new season.  So I wrote down my request for God that morning. 

The day went by and I didn’t see a rainbow.  In my early days of walking with God, this would have shook me.  This would have made that wave of doubt look like a tsunami.  I would have felt insecure, confused why God didn’t answer and likely would have spiraled.  One thing we learn as we walk with God more closely is that God doesn’t always answer prayers in the exact way we ask.  If that were the case, that would make us the ones in charge and not him.  We may be asking for a boat, when what we really need is an airplane.  God knows what we need, and because he knows what we need, he’ll answer our requests according to what’s best for us, not what we think is best for us.  

Three days after I asked God for a rainbow, I had this image of God covering his children like an umbrella in the shape of a rainbow.  I drew an image of God being the rainbow with me underneath it.  God was like an umbrella over me, protecting me, shielding me from the outside dangers.  When you’re under an umbrella, you can still see the rain around you, but you’re protected and covered from the downpour. You feel the raindrops, but you aren’t drenched.  God provides an umbrella of protection over us, as we look to and seek him.  I felt comforted by that revelation he shared with me. 

A few more days went by and I saw an extremely bright light outside our front door.  I was immediately drawn towards going outside to see if there was a rainbow.  I walked out the door and into our yard and turned around to look at my house.  Sure enough, there was a beautiful rainbow from start to finish covering my home.  It was at that moment that I remembered the image of God covering me like a rainbow.  I then remembered that I had asked God for a rainbow days before.  I didn’t get the rainbow at the exact time I had asked for it, but God gave me the rainbow when I needed it.  I asked for a rainbow for comfort and he gave me much more than that.  He gave me comfort, but he also gave me revelation about his character and a reminder of the protection he provides.  He gave me insight.  He gave me confidence in his presence.  He gave me more than a rainbow; he gave me hope for the future in our new home.  

God doesn’t want children who are afraid to ask him questions.  God wants children who come to him, who seek him, who ask and expect to receive.  God loves answering our prayers, but it’s us who need to change our expectation of how and when God answers our prayers. He’ll do it, maybe not in the way or timing you want him to, but he’ll do it in the way he sees best fit.  “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8