The Dreaded 2/14.

Two days from now, it will be February 14th, Valentine's Day. Some people despise the day, because either they're single, broken up, divorced, etc. But why do we allow ONE day to mess up our whole entire week? We spend endless hours on social media being secretly jealous of people who are receiving gifts on Valentine's Day, and then get mad at God because our love life isn't quite what we wanted it to be. But the feelings of loneliness, despair, heartache, and bitterness ends here. Psalms 118:24 says, "This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." EVERYDAY is made by God and is a blessing. So if you are dreading this day, change your perspective. Here are a few ways to get you started.

Spend CRAZY time with Jesus.

We should always spend time with God, but during this entire week, I have found myself seeking Him more. The devil will attack you where you are the most vulnerable. Just because you are a Christian & want to please God, does not mean you are exempt from feeling lonely, sad, or bitter. Actually, you are more prone to those emotions. Ephesians 6:12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." WE ARE IN A WAR. There is a spiritual warfare going on in our minds constantly, and if we don't have the Word of God in us and prayer on our lips, we will fall, because we don't have anything to fight with. So, we have to be in the Word, ALWAYS. 

Remember when you first got saved, and ALL you wanted to do was get to know Jesus more? Well, it should be the same way now. Jesus is our FIRST love. Spend time with Him. Get to truly know Him. Have date nights with Him. Talk to Him. He wants your attention. And it is a JOY to be in love with Jesus. Everything you need, everything you could ever dream of is in Him. Let Him be your Valentine, everyday. 


Give gifts.

The misconception is that if a girl doesn't receive anything on Valentine's Day, then there MUST be something wrong with her. But that is soooooooo far from the truth. If you don't get anything, that's okay, and there is NOTHING wrong with you. One way to overcome sad feelings that come from not receiving a gift is to give a gift! Acts 20:35 says, "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’" So GIVE! :) I'm not saying go out and buy your ex-boy/girlfriend something in hopes that they will take you back, when you know God broke that relationship off for a reason. You can't buy someone's love. But we all have friends and family members who mean so much to us, and who would love if we showed love to them. Valentine's Day is not just about showering spouses with flowers, candy, and cards, but showing love to EVERYONE. 

Be patient.

Oh, the dreaded "P" word. I know. Being patient and waiting on God to bring your spouse is difficult. But the fact that you are waiting on Him shows that you have standards and are not just going with every wind that blows. There is a season for everything. So being bitter, hating everyone who is dating or married, etc., is not going to make God move in your life. Have joy & peace about waiting. Paul says in Philippians 4:11 that, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." So contentment and being patient is not something that comes easy or fast. It is a process. But it can be done. When you are truly content, you will know it. You won't go down your newsfeed with bitterness but with pure joy from Jesus. And you won't say, "I don't need a man, I'm independent," while masking your feelings of loneliness and longing for a relationship, but you will instead say that you are waiting on God and are content with where He has you. 


Guard your heart.


This is sooooo important. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." During this time of the year, movies about love and relationships crowd the television channels. So if we are constantly watching these type of movies, of course we are going to feel sad! So find something else to watch or turn the t.v. off and find something else to do. A gallon of ice-cream and The Notebook is not going to make you feel better. It's going to make you feel worse. And if you don't think you can't handle seeing all of the Valentine's Day posts, then take a break from social networks for a few days. The devil will use ANY avenue he can to get you off track, so we have to be on guard in every aspect of our lives.



Know that God loves you! And His plan for your life isn't for you to be lonely and miserable forever, but for you to be joyful and closer to Him. I pray that your Valentine's Day is full of love with or without a significant other. The Dreaded 2/14 doesn't have to be dreaded this year! :)