Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love and, often, romance. We give out pretty cards to our friends and family. My husband brings me flowers. But for me, Valentine’s Day wasn’t truly special unless I had someone to share it with, which didn’t happen until I got married. Well, I had a boyfriend for two, maybe three of the holidays over the years, but one guy broke up with me the day after… Where is the love on Valentine’s Day when you are hurt or alone? If we look around, we can find it.
First, if Valentine’s Day is meant to honor true love and devotion, there is someone whose love and devotion to each one of us is so pure that He gave His life for us. John 15:13 says: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Not only did the Savior lay down His life for us, He also atoned for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane. He spent His life and death in the service of His fellowman.
“Jesus Christ lives, knows us, watches over us, and cares for us. In moments of pain, loneliness, or confusion, we do not need to see Jesus Christ to know that He is aware of our circumstances and that His mission is to bless,” said President Henry B. Eyring, the First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes erroneously called the “Mormon Church.”
LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson said, “The Lord is in all of our lives. He loves us. He wants to bless us. He wants us to seek His help. As He guides us and directs us and as He hears and answers our prayers, we will find the happiness here and now that He desires for us. May we be aware of His blessings in our lives.”
You cannot talk about the love of the Son without also including the love of our Heavenly Father. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
We can’t help but feel loved when we consider the blessings that the Lord and our Heavenly Father have bestowed upon us in our lives. My sister once told me that at one time she was so discouraged, the only blessing she could see was that she was breathing. But she said that she focused on that blessing and soon was able to see the other good things in her life.
When I think of the love that my Heavenly Father has for me, I also remember the love that my earthly father, as well as my mother and siblings, have for me. In high school and in college, my sister Rachel would bring me a gift on Valentine’s Day. She made sure that I knew I was loved. My parents would always tell us that we were beautiful (handsome for the boys), smart, talented and loved. My sisters and brothers are among the truest friends I have. My family—my husband and children—are also great sources of love for me. Even when things in my life seem so wrong, they are always there to tell me I am loved and needed.
Friends are a great source of comfort and love when we are hurt. The Prophet Joseph Smith, through whom the Savior established His Church on the earth in the latter days, thus establishing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, faced much adversity in his life. During one of those trials, the Lord gave him these words of comfort: “Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:9). Friends offer great advice, a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, as well as the fun and laughter we share with them.
Where is the love when it just hurts? It is all around us, but sometimes we have to look. We need to reach out in prayer to our Heavenly Father. We remember the love that our Savior has for us. And we seek comfort from our loved ones—our family and friends. Love is in the arms of the Savior and the loved ones He has sent into our lives.
This article was written by Lisa Montague, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
