The Best Valentine

As we approach Valentine’s Day, Facebook in particular becomes a deluge of posts and blog links about love.  Certain phrases, spoken about significant others, abound, such as “God has blessed me so much!” and “God is so good to have provided such a wonderful person in my life.”  Rightfully so!  And while I am genuinely thrilled to see my friends posting in this way, as a person with no spouse or significant other I find myself immediately dwelling on what those phrases mean for my own life.  And before you assume this is a post about being single, read on!  This is written for anyone who has ever fought the battle of comparison.
 
Whatever your marital status, the misuse of the sayings, “I’m so blessed” and “God is so good” can be dangerous.  It makes sense that we would use those phrases when something good has happened – we get a new job, God provides for a particular need, we meet that special someone, etc.  Those are great things which we should be thankful for!  But what happens when those aren’t realities in our own life?  When we don’t get that house we were praying for, when that deal falls through, and when God has still not “blessed” us with the child we’ve been aching for?  Then someone else’s joy becomes our immediate excuse to question God’s intentions in our own lives.  And during this time of year, that is magnified when it comes to love. 
  
But may I send out a gentle reminder to each of us this Valentine’s week to guard our hearts against the lie that we, as redeemed by Christ, are lacking in any way – single or married.  We desperately need to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5) and line our feelings up against the truth of who we are in Christ.  Love, finances, material possessions, and status aside, we are COMPLETE in Him (Col. 2:10).  We have been blessed with EVERY spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3).  We have EVERYTHING we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:2-4).  And while I hope we will never stop boasting about God’s goodness and blessings in our lives, let’s boast in Him whether that’s proven materially/physically or not.  His goodness is the same regardless and we can trust what He's doing with our lives because “those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” (Ps. 34:10)