Past Valentines Day

Boys

Past Valentines Day Experiences and What God Has Taught Me/Shown Me

By Haley B.

My whole entire life I never had a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day; I had to wait till I was a senior in high school before that wish would even happen. Anyways, before that, God showed me a lot of things about what it means to be alone, even though I didn’t have a personal relationship with Him.

Throughout middle school though, my friends didn’t have boyfriends either so we just called it “Single Awareness Day.” We didn’t care about not having boyfriends and we would send ourselves the roses made out of Hershey kisses that WE made for a fundraiser that Chorus did every year. It wasn’t until high school that Valentine’s Day really became lonely.

In high school, every time Valentine’s Day rolled around, I felt like crying. Sure, I had my friends but I was truly never satisfied without the companionship of a guy. And it was like God was trying to tell me something. I had boyfriend after boyfriend in high school but yet, every Valentine’s Day, I was single. Soon after though, I would have another boyfriend. I feel like at that time, God was showing me that I needed to rely on Him. And I chose the opposite.

I’ve spent my whole life chasing after the wrong thing. I spent my life chasing after my humanly Valentine and someone who I thought would make me happy and that I would love unconditionally. And I’ve found someone like that. But it’s nowhere near close to God’s love for me or for any of you.

When I was younger, my father never really cared for me like a dad should. Sure, he was there but he abused my mom and I verbally, mentally, and emotionally. Without an actual “dad” in my life, I felt like no one loved me. Yes, I know that my mom did but it wasn’t the same without a male figure in my life: the one person who is supposed to teach me on how I should be treated.

Throughout my years in school, I thought guys would make me happy. Yeah, I knew who Jesus was and what He did for me and even though I accepted Christ at the age of 5, I still didn’t comprehend the idea that we are to have a relationship with God until I was 19.

I was one of those girls who thought I could NOT be happy without a guy. Singleness was my enemy that I could never defeat. If I wasn’t with someone, I felt like I was in complete depression mode. I never let it affect my school work but it did affect my attitude around my friends and family.

I finally saw Christ’s idea of a relationship last summer. I spent the next 5 months defeating my enemy for the first time in my life. It made me grow so much and it also helped the guy I was with grow as well. We came back together but only because we knew that Christ called us to do just that.

But Christ can love you so much more than just ONE single guy can. Even now, when I know I’ve found the person I want to be with for the rest of my life or aka “my soul mate”, I know he’s not perfect in any shape or form. He will let me down but Christ never will. And that’s a love you’ll never experience from any person on the earth.

If you’re single this Valentine’s Day, instead of envying your friend’s presents or anyone else’s gifts think about your TRUE Valentine.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”

Now, every time you see the word “love” or the word “it”, replace it with Christ. Ponder on this for seconds, minutes, hours, however long it takes you to realize that only one true thing matters this Valentine’s Day.

Life is not about finding a boyfriend, finding a husband, getting married, getting a career, and eventually having kids. It’s about realizing Christ’s great love for us.

1 John 4:19 describes Christ’s love for us to a tee. It states, “We love because He first loved us.” We have been given this gift to love other people, boys, friends, family, because Christ first loved us!

Ephesians 5:25 also shows Christ’s love for us: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER.”

I bolded and capitalized the last part because of John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” God loved us SO much that He gave us Jesus to take our place on the cross for our sins. Christ gave himself up for the church. How awesome is that! No guy could ever give you that type of love.

If you have friends that have boyfriends, be happy for them this Valentine’s Day. Don’t envy them but pray for them, Christian or non-Christian, and remind them about Christ’s love for us on the day that people across the world celebrate love.