I love a variety of colors. When I'm painting, I like to use bright and vibrant colors -
turquoise and coral are two of my favorites. There is an entire history on color theory that I won't go into here, but suffice it to say, colors can provoke powerful responses in our mood.
It's interesting to note that the Bible uses a lot of colors to convey significant
meanings through symbolism. I think of the verse found in Isaiah 1:18 which says,
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall
become like wool." These color words (scarlet, crimson, white as snow) stick in our
mind and help us to know and to feel the meaning of this verse.
In our surroundings, it is fun to use colors to create interest and ambiance. One of my favorite ways to decorate my home (at the moment) is to keep the walls a nice,
neutral gray color and add pops of my favorite colors in the pillows, in the wall art, in the lamps and specific pieces of strategically placed furniture.
One of the ways to use color to lift your mood is to grab your paints and whip up an
expressive painting using colors that you love. You can also surround yourself with
"happy" colors in your home decor or simply painting one of your favorite objects in
your "happy" color.
Different colors evoke different responses in each unique person. While yellow evokes cheerful happiness for me, it might remind someone else of something they didn't like. Take a little time to think of the variety of colors and which emotions they evoke for you. What does yellow represent to you? What does blue evoke in you? Jot down some notes and get out some crayons, paints, or chalk pastels and play around with colors in your art journal.
In the Old Testament, we are told about details God gave the Israelites about how
they were to build the Temple in Jerusalem. It is fascinating to me that artisans were
used to create beautiful and colorful aspects of the Temple. In 2nd Chronicles 2;7 we are told, "So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided."
God provides us with His symbolism of colors all throughout the Scriptures. That tells me that all the colors of the rainbow are a gift from God to delight our eyes, to give special meaning to concepts, and to lift our hearts in awe of our Creator, our
Heavenly Father.