10 Jun 2026, 12:46Adina Lupu
Rainbows After the Storm
In this personal reflection, Adina Lupu considers how God's promises shine brightest in the aftermath of life's storms.
Dark clouds gather, the wind grows stronger – another wet and grey day. Nothing unusual for those of us living in this climate, where all four seasons can seem to appear in a single day: a mix of rain and sunshine, hailstones and blue skies.
As the sky darkens, my mood begins to drop. Raindrops splash against the window, and the sound of cars passing through puddles fills the air. Yet my thoughts turn to God in prayer. After the rain comes sunshine – I have experienced it so often. After this personal storm, deliverance will be my portion. By faith, I hold on to the God of goodness and love.
As I open my eyes, a bright and beautiful rainbow appears through the clouds, stretching across the sky in a perfect arc. My eyes light up; my mood changes. In an instant, I become joyful and excited, whispering, “Is that You, God? Did You just send me another rainbow? How wonderful of You to let me see Your faithfulness in the sky!”
Soon, the comforting words of a hymn echo in my mind, and my heart begins to sing: “In grief and in glory, still great is His faithfulness.”
The Bible tells us:
When the rainbow is in the clouds and I look at it, I will remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9:16, AMP)
These are God's words to Noah after he had experienced the flood. I imagine this must have been a traumatic event for Noah and his family. The widespread devastation, the loss of countless lives, the ark being tossed by the waves, the relentless sound of rain on its roof, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead would have deeply affected anyone.
The landscape had been transformed from a thriving world into endless water as far as the eye could see. Noah and his family had no way of knowing when it would end, what would happen next, or what life would look like afterwards.
Yet when the rain stopped, God placed a rainbow in the sky.
The rainbow became a symbol of His covenant – a message of hope and reassurance. As we journey through this world, we experience storms of many kinds: loss, hurt, fear, abandonment, confusion, rejection, and brokenness. Yet in every painful moment, God remains steadfast and faithful.
The rainbow only appears after the rain. The darker the storm clouds, the brighter its colours seem to shine. In much the same way, we often see God's presence and His work in our lives more clearly as we walk by faith through our darkest experiences.
God's promises have become my rainbows through the painful valleys of life.
When I lost my mum to cancer, and far more quickly than I expected, my rainbow was His promise: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” And during moments of prayer, I sensed another promise in my heart: “I will create new paths for you and your mum to walk on in the day when I return and take you to the home I am preparing for all the redeemed.”
When a meaningful friendship came to an amicable end, the pain of that loss could not be denied. Yet God's rainbows included these promises: “I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds” (Jeremiah 30:17), and “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Perhaps the most extraordinary promise I reflect on – especially when I see a rainbow shining brightly in the sky – is this:
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)
God is at work in all things and through all things, restoring to Himself a people who will sing His praises for eternity.
What storms are you facing today? How dark and uncertain does your path seem? How painful is the silence of unanswered prayers? How deep is the grief of losing loved ones, whether through death or separation?
Remember this: the rainbow shines brightest after the fiercest storm.
Look up and trust in your Maker. His faithfulness will command the clouds to part, and His rainbows of promise will brighten your life.
Adina Lupu is a member of the Glasgow Seventh-day Adventist Church.In this personal reflection, Adina Lupu considers how God's promises shine brightest in the aftermath of life's storms.
Dark clouds gather, the wind grows stronger – another wet and grey day. Nothing unusual for those of us living in this climate, where all four seasons can seem to appear in a single day: a mix of rain and sunshine, hailstones and blue skies.
As the sky darkens, my mood begins to drop. Raindrops splash against the window, and the sound of cars passing through puddles fills the air. Yet my thoughts turn to God in prayer. After the rain comes sunshine – I have experienced it so often. After this personal storm, deliverance will be my portion. By faith, I hold on to the God of goodness and love.
As I open my eyes, a bright and beautiful rainbow appears through the clouds, stretching across the sky in a perfect arc. My eyes light up; my mood changes. In an instant, I become joyful and excited, whispering, “Is that You, God? Did You just send me another rainbow? How wonderful of You to let me see Your faithfulness in the sky!”
Soon, the comforting words of a hymn echo in my mind, and my heart begins to sing: “In grief and in glory, still great is His faithfulness.”
The Bible tells us:
When the rainbow is in the clouds and I look at it, I will remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9:16, AMP)
These are God's words to Noah after he had experienced the flood. I imagine this must have been a traumatic event for Noah and his family. The widespread devastation, the loss of countless lives, the ark being tossed by the waves, the relentless sound of rain on its roof, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead would have deeply affected anyone.
The landscape had been transformed from a thriving world into endless water as far as the eye could see. Noah and his family had no way of knowing when it would end, what would happen next, or what life would look like afterwards.
Yet when the rain stopped, God placed a rainbow in the sky.
The rainbow became a symbol of His covenant – a message of hope and reassurance. As we journey through this world, we experience storms of many kinds: loss, hurt, fear, abandonment, confusion, rejection, and brokenness. Yet in every painful moment, God remains steadfast and faithful.
The rainbow only appears after the rain. The darker the storm clouds, the brighter its colours seem to shine. In much the same way, we often see God's presence and His work in our lives more clearly as we walk by faith through our darkest experiences.
God's promises have become my rainbows through the painful valleys of life.
When I lost my mum to cancer, and far more quickly than I expected, my rainbow was His promise: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” And during moments of prayer, I sensed another promise in my heart: “I will create new paths for you and your mum to walk on in the day when I return and take you to the home I am preparing for all the redeemed.”
When a meaningful friendship came to an amicable end, the pain of that loss could not be denied. Yet God's rainbows included these promises: “I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds” (Jeremiah 30:17), and “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Perhaps the most extraordinary promise I reflect on – especially when I see a rainbow shining brightly in the sky – is this:
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)
God is at work in all things and through all things, restoring to Himself a people who will sing His praises for eternity.
What storms are you facing today? How dark and uncertain does your path seem? How painful is the silence of unanswered prayers? How deep is the grief of losing loved ones, whether through death or separation?
Remember this: the rainbow shines brightest after the fiercest storm.
Look up and trust in your Maker. His faithfulness will command the clouds to part, and His rainbows of promise will brighten your life.
Adina Lupu is a member of the Glasgow Seventh-day Adventist Church.
