Am I Loved? Yes, you are. Here’s how.

No matter how much I tell myself Valentine’s Day is a sham—a big budget advertisement campaign to sell more candy, flowers, jewelry, and trinkets—I still ask myself in margins of quiet, “Do I feel loved?” And some moments I remember how loved I am every day of the year and that chocolate-dipped strawberries and a hand-written note don’t matter. Other moments I start to feel discontent.

I think a lot of us fight discontentment on Valentine’s.

So, friends, let’s remind ourselves truth from God’s word about our value and his love. It might not take the sting away of unmet desires or expectations, but the more we think about what is true, the more the peace of God will dwell in our hearts (Phil 4:8-10).

5 Ways We Are Loved and Valued by God

1.God skillfully knit us in our mother’s womb.

Every bone segment, ligament, eyes, heart, and tiny toes, God made. We are each his treasured design. No matter if we are straight blonde or curly black, thin or round, we are valued and loved by God because he made us. And as I once heard a speaker say, “God doesn’t make junk.” (Ps. 139:13-14)

2. God gifted us the world.

We are made in his image as earth-keepers—to enjoy and take care of the animals, plants, waters, and one another. This whole earth is a gift and an assignment from God to delight in, love, and care for the world God made. You can’t put that in a heart-shaped box! (Gen. 1:26-31)

3. God desires to be in a relationship with us.

From the beginning, as God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve—he created us to be in a loving relationship with him as God our Father. And although sin broke that unity, He still desires to heal us from our sin and re-unite us with him. (2 Peter 3:9)

4. God gifts us a happily ever after with him.

God wrote us a Valentine with his life. He came as the man Jesus, died on the cross as a sacrifice for us (for the wages of sin is death), rose again three days later to conquer forever death for us, and made the way for us to be with him if we believe in the what the Bible teaches us about Jesus (Eph. 2:8-10). When we have our moments of discouragement on Valentine’s, let’s remember the gift of our salvation! (John 3:16)

5. God’s love never ends.

No matter where we go, what we do, how we struggle, he is always ready for us to turn toward him and receive his love—again. His mercies are forever new. His love never ceases. (Lam. 3:22-23).

This is all true, but sometimes, loneliness still stings. We wonder why friends don’t call or romantic desire is not reciprocated. It is okay to feel the brokenness that comes with our sin-fractured world. At the same time, we can think about all the gifts, beauty, and love we do see—and celebrate that on Valentine’s and every day.

LET’S TALK:

What is one way you see God’s love for you today? For me, it’s in the ability to have a quiet moment to write, the laughter of my little girl as she runs around the house in her Snow White costume, my husband driving carpool, the warm cup of cherry berry tea—and you reading this post.