Chocolate hearts, shades of red and pink, cards, cupcakes, and gifts…these are things we see a lot of as Valentine’s Day approaches. And while society tells us that “all we need is love,” when we behold the depth of heartache and division in the world today, it feels as if love is a somewhat foreign concept. However, despite what we see, the fact remains that God loves us more than we can even imagine. No matter what we’ve gone through, He is faithful, and He has the power to turn circumstances that could have broken us into milestones that birth divine wisdom. In fact, if we surrender our pain to Him and ask for His perspective, He will make us indestructible and use us to guide other people through similar struggles. Romans 8:28 tells us that “all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and who have been called according to His purpose.” Notice it doesn’t say that all things will make us feel good or that they will actually be good, but it does promise that everything will come together in divine sovereignty to create something full of promise and potential. You see, God turns our pain into a plan, and when we forgive those who harm us and hand Him our offenses, He replaces our hurt with something better. By releasing the wrongs inflicted upon us, we cut off the enemy’s power to determine the trajectory of our lives, and then we find true freedom!

My friend, during this pandemic, God is calling you to go deeper in prayer, deeper in healing, and deeper in forgiveness. Though things look uncertain around you, He has great plans for your future, and He will never leave you or forsake you. He understands your hurt, and He wants to transform your pain into an exceedingly great plan for your future. As you surrender your brokenness to His beauty, He will use you to pour His compassion into the hearts of others, and this will make His love evident to the world.