"To Those Who Will Feel Alone On Valentine's Day"

If you feel alone as Valentine's Day approaches, you are NOT alone, I assure you.

In my 65 years, I've experienced times of intense loneliness, mostly BEFORE my first marriage (age 24) but even after that. There were instances as a teen that, because of my isolation from alcoholic family members, I felt totally alone, especially every Valentine's Day when I didn't have a girlfriend. Even after I became a Christian (at age 20 and still single), I was sometimes haunted by loneliness. In fact, I occasionally got mad at God when it seemed he was turning a deaf ear to my needs like my EARTHLY father did. Questioning the wisdom and goodness of God got me NOWHERE, I'm here to tell you, but I'm glad that He loves me in spite of my sin of unbelief!!

And yes, getting MARRIED even has its times of loneliness...separations...times of temporary ALIENATION, and so on.  I learned this starting in 1979 with my first marriage and so has every other honest married couple, by the way.

I mention all of this only to say that, if anyone reading this is DREADING tomorrow, if anyone feels LEFT OUT because it seems everyone else in the world has "someone" and you don't, if anyone feels LONELY and is questioning the goodness and wisdom of God, I FEEL YOU, I really do.  But I'm here to tell you what others told ME when I was single..."You can't look to another human being to fill your deepest needs for love.  Only THE LORD can fill that deepest need." This is SO TRUE!!  (I used to wonder if married people were just trying to help me be content in my singleness by saying that, but they were being wise and HONEST.)

My first wife and I worked on our marriage and because SHE was such an eminently godly woman, who put up with my immaturity, we lasted 38 years as husband and wife.  Five years ago on Valentine's Day we had the BEST Valentine's Day I can ever remember.  Then, about a week later, we learned she had terminal cancer and she went Home to Heaven about two years after that.  My point?? We sometimes think finding "true love" will help us live "happily ever after" but it cannot.  Only GOD will never leave nor forsake us as His children!! Even if you find True Love, you might LOSE it so you'd better learn how to be ALONE if you have to be, for a time.

It's a true saying that "You can't live with someone else until you've learned to live alone." I would only add to that "alone WITH GOD." Alone with the One who, if we know Him in a saving way, can never leave US alone and will always love us, no matter how much we may fail HIM. If you're feeling lonely this Valentine's Day seek HIM first, and then watch and see Him bless you with the right person, at the right TIME, once you aren't seeking to have ALL of your needs met through that fallible, sinful human being.

And again, if you feel alone as Valentine's Day draws near, you are NOT alone, I assure you.  I feel you and, yeah, I'll say it.... I love you, too!!