If you’re anything like me, you probably have a love-hate relationship with Valentine’s Day.

Is it a good thing to set aside time and express your love for those in your life? Yes, absolutely.

Is it a day that just cannot withstand the pressure of all the expectations placed on its calendared shoulders? Also, yes.

One day is not enough to build a lifetime on. One day is not enough time to maintain the trust and vulnerability relationships require.

It’s interesting, because when you look at it that way, maybe Valentine’s Day actually does give us a true picture about relationships: love requires more than the limits this one day can hold.

 Even the grandest of gestures between significant others can turn on a dime. Everyone has a date gone wrong story, a bad gift choice, or where a “perfect” day totally went haywire and spiraled into an argument. This isn’t just exclusive to dating and marriage; these things are true across friendships and families. Situations where people are involved are moments for beautiful expressions of love, and also opportunities to make a huge mess. Why? Because people are involved.

 The truth is, just like the one single date on the calendar bearing the brunt of all loving expressions of a year, human beings have limits. We are only able to hold so much. We love fiercely, but in that love, we also struggle with past hurts, unmet expectations, false narratives, and more. When we want to truly love the people in our lives, we have to be willing to admit that we can’t do it all. Just like how one day isn’t enough of a foundation to build lasting relationships, we as limited human beings don’t have all the grace, forgiveness, understanding, compassion, and empathy needed to truly sustain relationships of any kind with others.

However, there is a love that knows no limits that is available to every single person. A love that is immeasurable and never runs out that is free for us to not only receive but to drink deeply from so that we may share it with others. This love can repair what feels like it cannot be fixed, and provides more grace when you feel like you just can’t give any more.

This love reminds you of how precious you are when you feel insecure. This love shares fierce honesty and enables forgiveness that makes no sense. The love of the One who made you is all this and more. I pray that no matter where this finds you today, you would know just how loved you are, and that this love is free for you. You will handle it imperfectly, but it is perfect for you.  

Emily Humphries is a woman who loves Jesus, her family, words, and coffee (all though things don't honestly always run in that order.) She loves sharing about the activity of God in her life, learning, and creating space for others to gather around the table and share their experiences and stories too. You can hang out with Emily over on her blog, or her podcast Simply Stories via https://simplyshenanigans.com. Connect with her over on Facebook and Instagram, @simplyemhumph/ @simplystoriespodcast.