An Honest Confession on Valentine’s Day

I wish I could tell you that this Valentine’s Day is special because I finally met The One, but this Valentine’s Day is no different than last Valentine’s Day. Instead of being curled up on the couch with a handsome Christian man wearing a navy pullover sweater and an almost mischievous side smile, I’m writing yet another blog post about singleness. “An Honest Confession on Valentine’s Day” seemed like the only appropriate title for a post about the major gap between where I am and where I want to be this Valentine’s Day.

Plan A

Maybe you thought that last year (or another not-too-far-back year) was going to be your year—the year that you were going to meet Prince Charming. Maybe you told everyone you knew about what you anticipated because you were just that sure, or maybe you didn’t tell a single soul about it because you wanted to avoid potential embarrassment. Either way, deep down, you knew. He was going to stroll into your office one morning at work or sit in the pew behind you during church or show up at your bestie’s Christmas party or move into the apartment next door. And your life was going to be forever changed.

That was your Plan A. But Plan A didn’t happen, and unfortunately, the year ended but your singleness didn’t.  

My Plan A involved me meeting my Prince Charming before college (or during college, at the latest). It definitely didn’t involve me being single (and completely un-dated) on Valentine’s Day of 2023. No way. At this point, I was supposed to have been asked out by at least a dozen guys, have had at least a couple serious boyfriends, and be engaged, if not married.  

But Plan A didn’t happen for me either.

Better Than Plan A

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. (Psalm 62:5-8 NASB1995)

There’s really only one thing—rather, one Person—that we can rely on in this life, and it’s not our plans. David knew that. And he confidently trusted in God alone as his rock, his salvation, his stronghold, and his refuge (v. 6-8).  

My honest confession on Valentine’s Day this year is that, unlike David, I’m struggling to confidently trust in God alone as my rock, my salvation, my stronghold, and my refuge. Yes, I know that my Plan A didn’t work out because God has a much better plan for me than Plan A; but I’m struggling to be content with His much better plan for me. I’m still mourning the loss of my Plan A and wondering why it didn’t come to pass.

But David had an answer for that too—”pour out your heart before Him” (v. 8). I truly believe that it’s okay to mourn when life doesn’t turn out the way we expected. But rather than give into resentment or despair, we can have hope. Friends, we have someone to give our unmet expectations to—God, our rock, our salvation, our stronghold, and our refuge.