Before Valentine’s Day, Remember Who Loved You First - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - February 10, 2026

Audio By Carbonatix

"We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19, NIV). 

Before I was in my first relationship, I was desperate to be loved and to love someone else. I knew my worth came from God and that He loved me, but I felt like something was missing. I wanted someone to call my own. To have and to hold. To get excited about all those silly and romantic things like Valentine's Day. And I don't think I'm alone. 

From the aisles of candy hearts and chocolates to cards, texts, and romance, we try to define love from a worldly perspective. The reality is God's love already defines our worth and the love we're able to share, show, and have with others. Pre-Valentine's Day can stir up all those ugly feelings we try to shove down—comparison, loneliness, pressure—even for people in relationships.

Friends, as much as we long for romance, butterflies, and relationships, God's love doesn't fluctuate based on attention or availability. We may love Valentine's Day and holidays like it, but these don't create love; they're reminders of the love that already exists. 

God is love, but love is not God—especially the counterfeit versions of it here on the earth. The roses, Hallmark movies, and fancy dinners are lovely, but they can't equate or compare to love. 1 John 4:19 even reminds us that we're only able to love others because God Himself first loved us. That love created us, gave His one and only Son, died for us, and will someday soon raise us to eternal life in Heaven with Him. 

1 John 4:8 describes God's love this way: "...whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (NIV). 1 John 4:16 follows: "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them" (NIV). The reason we have this love is that God Himself lives in those who choose to love Him and commit their lives to Him. 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16, NIV). Romans 5:8 explains it this way: "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (NIV). Therefore, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God" (1 John 4:7, NIV). 

This week, as you prepare for Valentine's Day, please pause gently before the big day. Study these Scriptures. Let them wash over your heart. And remember: It's okay to long for that special someone. It's OK to celebrate the joy and love of love. But rest in God and His love for you. Because without it, loving others would be impossible. 

Learn to anchor your sense of being loved in something unshakeable—more specifically, someone. Then, go out into all the world and share that love with others because His kind of love can't be taken away from us. It's eternal, steadfast, and trustworthy. And even when we change, He never does. 

Even the best love from a spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend will eventually let you down at some point in your life. You will let those you love down, not because you mean to, but because you're human. The good news is that when the love of Christ exists within you, you can forgive and be forgiven, and continue to love all over again. 

Before Valentine's Day, remember who loved you first. Actively choose to think of God. Then, love Him back. Sing a song of worship and praise. Continue to love others, yes. Absolutely. But don't forget to love the one who gave you the ability to love. 

Prayer

Dear Jesus, first, thank you for your gracious and abundant love. Thank you for sending your Son to die for us out of love. As we approach Valentine's Day, we can easily confuse our passion with what we see around us. But don't let our hearts wander, Lord. Bind us to you. Help us anchor ourselves in you and your love. Steady us on a day that's sweet for some and complicated for others. No matter if we're feeling heavy, defeated, or overwhelmed by love, allow us to feel and embrace your kind of love today. We love, praise, and thank you, Jesus. Amen.

Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.

Related Resource: How to Stop Comparing Your Prayer Life and Start Praying for Real

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