Gospel Hope for the Lonely on Valentine's Day

The sweetest, most romantic relationships we observe on earth are but a taste of the love that God has already bestowed upon you, His beloved child. In the Psalms, God’s love for us is described as “high as the heavens are above the earth” (Psalm 103:11 ESV). His thoughts about us are described as “outnumber[ing] the grains of sand” (Psalm 139:17 ESV). Neither of these descriptions are quantifiable to the human mind; they defy our comprehension. So with that truth in mind, let’s explore three gospel truths to remember this Valentine’s Day.

This Valentine’s Day Remember: God’s Love for You in Incomprehensible 

God’s love for us, for you, is beyond comprehension. 

In fact, in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he prays that they would discover the “length and width, height end depth of God’s love” (Ephesians 3:18). This feat is impossible, but Paul encourages the Ephesians (and us) to never stop trying. And what a worthy endeavor it is, for to mine God’s love is to find gold over and over again. We will never come up dry or disappointed. 

If you find yourself discouraged once again on Valentine’s Day, take a moment to rest in God’s love for you. A love that never fails, never fades, and never falters.

Even the most romantic blockbuster films portray love that is but a flicker of the unquenchable fire that is the love of God. Our most palpable imaginations of true love are but a whisper compared to the roar of God’s unending care. The most luxurious, thoughtfully-planned dates are but a shadow of the joyous glory that we will experience in heaven. This love, this care, this future hope that we have in God ease our aching hearts, for God’s love was extended to us long before Valentine’s Day dotted itself on the calendar. God’s love was proven when He sacrificed His only Son on the cross to save us from our sins. And God’s love will carry His children all the way into eternity. Valentine’s Day candy will be eaten and cards will find themselves stashed away, but God’s love remains forever. 

This Valentine’s Day Remember: You Were Created for More 

If discontentment threatens to steal your joy today, remember that you were created for more than earth-bound love. 

The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks the question, “What is the chief end of man?” And the answer is “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” As we scroll through our Instagram feeds and stroll through the aisles of the grocery store, we observe a world that glorifies the wrong things. May we not get swept away in that current. 

Our longings for love on this side of heaven are not wrong, but they are incomplete. The chief end of man is not to “glorify a spouse and enjoy him forever.” Mankind, me and you, was made for God. Therefore, even the man of your dreams would not fully satisfy the longings of your heart. We were made for more. God has put “eternity into man’s heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV) and created us with a desire for perfect love—perfect love that can only be found in Him.

What does that mean for our Valentine’s Day? 

This truth means that we can reorient our minds around the truth of the gospel. Your success and value are not found within the confines of a relationship. Instead, if you have trusted in Jesus as your Savior, your identity is secure as a daughter of God (2 Corinthians 6:18), an heir of an eternal kingdom (Romans 8:17), a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20). And the good news is that you are not these things by your own doings but by the victory of Christ Jesus who reigns in power now and forevermore. 

This Valentine’s Day Remember: There’s Beauty in “Even If” 

There is an underlying question that sometimes plagues the single person’s mind as February 14th fades into February 15th: What if I never find a spouse? What if I am forever lonely? The ache of waiting seems impossible to bear sometimes. Yet the gospel gives us real hope in the midst of our waiting. 

Even still, there is sometimes an underlying question that plagues the married person’s mind on Valentine’s Day: What if my marriage never gets better? What if I am forever lonely in this marriage? The ache of a difficult marriage seems impossible to bear sometimes. Yet the gospel give us real hope in the midst of our loneliness.

The hope is this: Christ died on our behalf so that we may experience real hope in hardship and real peace in pain. Jesus is Immanuel or “God with us.” See, the space between a prayer prayed and a prayer answered is where faith strengthens. 

As we feel lack in our lives today, we can lay these feelings down before the feet of Jesus and ask Him for a peace that surpasses understanding. We have the opportunity to change our fear-filled “what if” questions into faith-filled “even ifs.” For even if our longings for a spouse remain unfulfilled, God’s love will carry us through. In the hardships and disappointments we experience on earth, God promises He is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). He promises to strengthen our feeble knees and come to our rescue (Isaiah 35:3-4). 

On this Valentine’s Day, dare to sing a new song. Pray the raw prayer. Submit your fears and frustrations before God’s throne. But praise Him anyway. Mine the depths of God’s love. Thank God for proving His love for us through Jesus. Turn your eyes to the hope of eternity, where you will live in the glory of God’s love forever. 

More Resources for Valentine’s Day:

https://thedailygraceco.com/blogs/the-daily-grace-blog/being-single-in-the-church