As Valentine’s Day approaches yet again, I am reminded of what it truly means to be single.
The majority of the time, being single is amazing. Yet, there are moments where being in a relationship seems like the best possible thing.
I have been blessed to have an example of what a truly great relationship is through the lives of my parents.
Ever since I was a small child, I could see the love that they have for each other in their everyday interactions. And if there is one thing that I could gain from watching them, it was that God should be the center of all of our relationships.
As my parents grew closer to God individually, the love between them grew even more.
They pray for each other, read the Bible together and spend every Sunday morning sitting next to each other in a church pew.
This was the same way for all of my grandparents as well.
And when I think of how God has shaped their relationships, I cannot help but notice that he shapes all relationships in our lives.
From friendships to significant others to self-love and spiritual love, God has a role.
God epitomized the true meaning of the word when he sent his son to die for us.
It is harped on over and over again in religious discussion, but this very act shows how powerful love is.
It’s not a minor feeling or something that you can click as a status on Facebook. Love is an immensely powerful thing that can move and transform lives.
So, even though I don’t have a significant other to buy me a bouquet of flowers next week, I know that my heart will be filled with amazing friends, a sense of wholeness within myself, an amazing family and a God who gave me these relationships.
The Bible has much to say about this topic, namely the fact that it is the center of being a Christian.
One of my absolute favorite Bible verses comes from 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, which states, “[i]f I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”
In essence, love is what makes us worthy.
But despite what society says, that love isn’t the kind from the movies.
It’s the love we choose when we don’t even want to look someone in the eye.
It’s the love that exists despite pain and hardship.
It’s the love that calls for sacrifice beyond what we think is imaginable.
It’s the love that our amazing God gifts us each and every day of our lives. A love we can show to others, to ourselves and back to him.
So, this Valentine’s Day, forget about what your relationship status is and choose the true power of love.
RACHEL NYE
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