The Perfect Love Story

Valentine's Day.

It's one of those holidays that people love or hate. Truthfully I've always loved it because working with children gives it a different meaning altogether.

It's about hugs and being best friends and chocolate candies and handing out cute little dinosaur and princess Valentine cards.

But as you get older, this sudden pressure comes upon us. It sort of starts in middle school with the carnation sales. Even if you don't really want to take part... you can't help but feel affected by it.

The quest of finding someone with all of these "perfect" attributes that we have on our check off list begin to add up.

So we place all of this pressure on ourselves or the person we're with. We place our whole identity in them.

Then that person disappoints us. We disappoint them. A marriage falls apart.

So we take off and look for that "spark" that makes us feel alive again in another person.

And then we come back around to where we started, realizing that person didn't have it either.

Does this mean we're doomed? Of course not, and here's why.

A few months ago we lead a bible study and picked out verses, wrote them in cards and sealed them. I prayed over them that whoever would get that verse truly needed it in their life. And then we handed them out to the girls attending.

The verse I got?:

// But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. // Matthew 6:33

A few months passed, and this verse started to dwell on me. This all ties in I promise.

Here we are trying to find the perfect guy or girl and honestly go to all costs to find them.

We date around, read magazines, watch movies made about our perfect "soul mate"... did you forget about Bella and her unhealthy obsession for Edward?

Then they leave. Or maybe we leave.

We convince ourselves something is wrong with us so we either cry and walk around like we never had a life before they came into the picture, or we on a go on party rampage pretending that person never existed and recite the whole "I don't know need anyone to make me happy" line. 

And then it dawned on me.

That person we're looking for doesn't exist. Nor will they ever.

We all have a "hole" in our hearts aching for that perfect love. And that's why we're all on the search to fill it.

We wait and go from person to person, but then realize no one fits and that hole is drained just like it was before. 
 

Because that hole was never meant for just anyone. We're trying to fill it with a person that's less than perfect when it was meant for Jesus himself.

He 's the perfect love story. The one that'll never leave you, the one that waits for you even when you throw an adult tantrum that you know no one will put up with.

Because a person cannot fulfill that list you have your mind. We're giving away the role to someone that can't do it.

I can't fill it for someone and neither can you. Nor can't your mom or dad, brother, sister or best friend.

But that's okay. That verse and its promise covered me like a blanket on a cold day.

That my heart belongs to Jesus first, and then everything else after.

And then all of the anxiety I held in my mind and churning stomach was put to ease.

So I'm not supposed to find perfection in a person? Nope. I'm not supposed to be perfect? Nope. 

Jesus asks us to give ourselves to Him first. Give Him your time, job, dreams, etc... and then everything we ever wanted that He knows is good for us.... He'll take care of.

I hope you have beautiful Valentine's Day. But most of all I hope you know that it's okay if you're still stuck in the in-between.

Sometimes the best time is the in-between.

That's when God takes our hand and shows us what we've been missing out on all along. What our hearts really yearned for.

Because His love is perfect. And your love story is waiting to be written... just give it to Him and you'll see. <3