Choose to Celebrate Love on Valentine’s Day

It’s that time of year again! The time when shelves are stocked with red and pink, glittery goodness. The time when candies and flowers make an epic rise in popularity (and price). The time when Nicholas Sparks movies cycle through theaters and television sets. (Let’s face it: who else can create an overly romantic movie that can warm your heart and make you hysterically sob at the same time?!)

I used to hate February 14th. For the longest time, my happiness on Valentine’s Day was contingent on my relationship status. I would continually compare myself to my peers who were in a relationship, and proceed to shame and put myself down for not living up to societal norms of having a boyfriend, fiancé or husband. I treated myself with such contempt that I completely forgot the love that already surrounded me. During these dark days, I had not yet met the true love of my soul, so I sulked around in my own stinkin' thinking.

See, being a single woman around this time of year can be a challenge. Some companies really capitalize on romance, but others like to market to the single and lonely too. Valentine’s Day marketing says that if you’re in a relationship, that is perfect! Your day will be filled with love, happiness, and romance. But, what if you’re single? Are you are expected to be curled up on the couch with a glass of wine and a gallon of ice cream? There’s still such a stigma attached to being single today.

It took me a while to figure out what this day actually means. Valentine’s Day is not about being single or taken. It’s simply about love. And, what is love? God is love. (1 John 4:16)

If you ask 10 different people to define love, you're going to get 10 different answers. But, you will see a common theme, where love is usually described as a feeling, as an emotion. But, what if I told you that isn't the case? What if I shared with you a life-changing truth that will completely transform your heart?

God is love. That's it! That's the truth that everyone needs to know and believe.

Several Scripture passages point to evidence of God's love. In fact, there are so many passages, I could write for days about them! Here are some of my favorites:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you." Isaiah 54:10

"...the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." Jeremiah 31:3

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

"God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1

"In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10

And lastly, my personal favorite Scripture passage on God's love:

"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:16

Honestly, what could be better than this? No candy, flowers, or jewelry could ever compare to the endless, unconditional love of Christ. For while we were still sinners, He set us free! There is no better gift than eternal life!

You see, it doesn't matter if you have a significant other or not. It doesn't matter if you're married for 60 years or are called to a life of singleness. Your relationship status is never indicative of if your loved, or how much you're loved. God loves you so much that He came into this world, suffered insurmountable pain and abuse on a cross, to save you and me from eternal separation and death.

Mic drop moment. Let that truth sink in.

God loves you with an everlasting love. He's called you, and you are His. Because of Jesus, death has been defeated, the powers of hell have been defeated, and one day, He will return to wipe every tear from our eyes. Pain and sorrow will be no more. The enemy of this world will be cast out and crushed forever. Who could ever love us this much to save us from ourselves? It blows my mind every time.

Now, don't get me wrong – God is love, He created love, and because of Him, we can experience His love and the love from those He's placed in our lives.

There’s a certain beauty that comes from loving and being loved in return. It ignites a flame of kindness, compassion, and care. However, it's crucial to understand what love is, who love is, and that love isn’t limited to couples. Do you love your family? Your friends? How about your pets? What about self-love? It's only through the love of Christ that we are able to experience and express our love to those around us.

Celebrate this. Celebrate love. Celebrate God's love for all of us. Celebrate the fact that we all have the capacity to love, and we all have the gift of love.

If you find yourself struggling in a season of loneliness, singleness, or depression, don't look to this world for comfort. Start getting to know the lover of your soul by opening up God's Word. Breathe in His love, feel His presence in His words to you. Get involved in a Bible-based church where you can see God's love in action. Serve. Volunteer. Worship. Take a moment to appreciate and honor this sacred love that you have in your life.

Whatever you do this Valentine’s Day, make sure you celebrate love. If you’re single, don’t sit back in pity. Don’t sit around defeated, or depressed. Live in love & let love live in you.

Be blessed. Shalom.