Love Was Never Meant to Be Just a Word

Valentine’s Day has just passed. The cards were exchanged. The candy was eaten. The social media posts slowly faded. Yet for many hearts, the emotions stirred up by that day still linger.

For some, Valentine’s Day brought joy and connection. For others, it quietly exposed loneliness, disappointment, or grief. It reminded us of relationships that feel strained, marriages that feel heavy, or hopes that did not turn out the way we expected. It has a way of revealing what we are really longing for.

As the noise of the holiday settled, I felt God gently drawing my attention back to something deeper.

Not the cards. Not the flowers. Not the words printed on paper.

But love itself.

And the truth is simple, even if it is hard to live out.

God is love.

Without God, we would not know how to love at all. Love did not originate in us. It did not come from culture, romance, or emotion. Love came from God, because He created love, just as He created the world and everything in it.

Scripture reminds us, “We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19.Before we ever gave our heart to anyone. Before we ever said the words “I love you.” Before we ever tried to make a relationship work. God loved us first.

That truth changes how we define love.

For a long time, I believed love was mostly about words. Something easy to say. Something easy to expect. Something easy to walk away from when it no longer felt good. But love, real love, is not just spoken. Love is revealed in how we stay, how we forgive, how we show patience when patience feels impossible.

God shows us what love actually looks like.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not self seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:4–5.

That kind of love does not come naturally to us. It comes from God.

God has loved us without shame. Without guilt. Without keeping a record of every mistake we have made. He sees us fully and still chooses us. He may not approve of everything we do, but He never withdraws His love from who we are.

There have been seasons where I did not like what a relationship looked like. Seasons where I felt disappointed, weary, or hurt. Yet God kept reminding me that love is not the same as liking every moment. Love is deeper than emotion. Love is a commitment to see someone as God sees them. Not just their actions. Not just their failures. But their soul. Their heart. Their potential.

True love does not give up easily.

It sees beyond the surface. It looks past the physical. It recognizes the spirit God placed inside a person. It chooses patience over escape. It chooses faithfulness over distraction. It chooses trust over control.

That is not easy. And it is not something we can do on our own.

Scripture says, “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 1 John 4:16.When we try to love apart from God, we burn out. We grow bitter. We become disappointed. But when love flows from God, it becomes something sustaining instead of exhausting.

I also believe this is where the enemy tries to work quietly. Division. Comparison. Discontent. The subtle lie that the grass is greener somewhere else. That love should be effortless. That if it is hard, it must be wrong.

But God never promised love would be easy. He promised it would be worth it.

Through heartbreak, silence, and surrender, God never wastes our pain. He uses every trial to refine us, restore us, and draw us closer to Him. Even the pain connected to love. Especially the pain connected to love.

If Valentine’s Day left you feeling unseen, disappointed, or questioning what love really is, I want you to hear this. You are not alone. God sees you. God is with you. God still speaks, even in the quiet. God still restores what feels broken.

Love is not one day on a calendar. Love is not measured by gifts or gestures. Love is lived out every single day, first with God, then with others.

And it all begins here. “He loved us first.”

If you are tired, give your heart back to Him. If you are hurt, let Him heal you. If you are unsure, trust Him with your story.

God is still the author. And He is still writing beautiful endings from broken beginnings.

Love and light to you always,

Heather M Larribas

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