What comes to mind when you think of love? In February, the world wraps it in pink and red, boxes it up with chocolates and roses, and serves it with a candlelit dinner. And while all of that is nice, it doesn’t take long to realize that the love the world sells is often as fleeting as the Valentine’s Day aisle on February 15th, here today, gone tomorrow.
Worldly love runs on feelings. It thrives when the excitement is high, when the butterflies flutter, when everything is easy. But what happens when the feelings fade? When life gets messy? When love demands something more than good vibes and convenience? Too often, the world’s version of love crumbles under pressure, because at its core, it’s self-serving.
Biblical love is built differently. First Corinthians 13:4-7 describes a love that is patient, kind, not self-seeking, not easily angered. It doesn’t give up when things get tough. It doesn’t run at the first sign of inconvenience. This is the love God has for us. The kind of love that sent Christ to the cross, not because we were lovable, but because He is love. Romans 5:8 reminds us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. That’s real love: sacrificial, unshaken, unearned.
In 1 John 4:8, we’re told that “God is love.” Not that God is loving, but that He is love. That means His love doesn’t just exist; it is the source, the foundation, the unshakeable truth beneath everything else. And because God is love, His love doesn’t end when the feelings fade or when things get tough.
This is the love that never fails. The kind of love that doesn’t rely on our moods or our ability to give. It’s the love that holds us even when we don't feel like we deserve it or when we feel far from it. When everything else crumbles, God’s love is the steady, eternal foundation.
So whether you’re celebrating with someone this Valentine’s Day or just grabbing some half-price chocolate tomorrow, remember this: Love that depends on emotions will always fail. But love rooted in Christ, the kind that endures, sacrifices, and never wavers, that’s the love worth building your life on.
—By Sophia Kirk