Ah, Valentine’s Day. Do you love it or dread it? The cute greeting cards, dinner reservations, ALL the chocolate (yes, please!), the roses, the romance- all these things serve as a reminder that love is the in air. Or maybe for you, it’s the loneliness, the longing, the frustration- a painful reminder of what or who you don’t have.
Believe me, I have been single on enough Valentine’s days to know it can feel like the loneliest day of the year. I have also been in a relationship long enough to know that this holiday can turn into a day of unmet expectations and comparison traps if you let it.
So, whatever your position or thoughts on Valentine’s Day, here is what I want you to remember on this upcoming day and the rest of the year: You are loved beyond measure.
No relationship or lack of relationship can change this fact: you are loved fully and perfectly by your Heavenly Father, and nothing you can ever do will make Him love you more or less.
I remember in college when the Lord started teaching me this simple truth after walking through singleness, relationships, breakups, and confusion. I am what some people would call a “hopeless romantic.” If I start watching a Hallmark Channel movie, I can’t stop! I have to continue watching the inevitable, cheesy ending where the two main characters fall in love. There is something deep in my soul that longs for romance, acceptance, and a love that lasts.
God knew that when He made me! God put the longing in me to love and be loved on purpose. He was never surprised when my heart desired for a relationship. The Lord knew I would seek out a companion and love story here on earth. Yet, ultimately the Lord placed this desire in me to lead me to Him- the only love that can satisfy.
You and I, no matter how hard we try, nothing and no one can satisfy the longings of our heart to know love until we rely only on the deep, deep love of Jesus.
No, this is not “Jesus is my boyfriend” theology, nor am I saying you can’t have a fulfilling and loving relationship with your significant other. Whether you are taken, happily single, or ready to mingle- perfect, unconditional, soul-changing love can only be found in the love of Christ.
If I know that I am already perfectly loved and accepted, when I walk through seasons of singleness, I don’t doubt my worth. When I am looking only for God to fulfill my deepest longings and desires, I do not put pressure on my relationships to meet the needs only God can.
As you walk into Valentine’s Day, whether you are going on that long-awaited date or are meeting friends for a movie night, know that you are perfectly loved. Christ is relentlessly pursuing your heart, and God’s love for you is endless. Going into this holiday, remember you are loved beyond measure!
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