This particular holiday is a little tough for many of us. We are bombarded with everything LOVE—movie marathons, overpriced cards, chocolate hearts, and radio/talk shows all spouting what it means to be loved and romanced.

But instead of letting it make us crazy and take us on an emotional roller coaster, let’s choose to remember this is a season we are in. It’s not forever. And since I have been single for over ten years now, I am saying that probably more for myself than anyone (LOL).

That said, one of the many things I’ve learned over the ten years of being a single mom on Valentine’s Day and many other difficult and unpredictable days of the year, is to shift my focus from what I don’t have to what I do have. And what I do have, is hope.

The truth is—life is less about controlling all the details and more about God’s divine order and plan. We travel in and out of personal seasons all the time and traverse the tough terrain of change throughout our entire lives. Although situations and emotions constantly ebb and flow with the winds of the divine, what we can control, is how we respond to these seasons.

From a physical perspective, we live in a part of the country that exposes us to the four seasons. Spring and Fall are my favorites, but I look forward to seeing them all, experiencing their unique attributes, and even dressing in different clothes to accommodate their diverse temperatures.

The different seasons give our lives flavor. They are distinct, interesting, and exciting with their individual colors and variance. Some require more work than others—picking up leaves and cleaning out the gutters (ugh), snow shoveling (double ugh), planting flowers (rewarding and beautiful), watering the dry summer grass (exhausting)!

We also experience different seasons on a personal level. And like the physical seasons, personal seasons also require certain tasks. Tasks that will help us manage the elements of pain, loneliness, fear, bitterness, and the like. Some seasons are tougher than others and require more focus and prayer to get through, while others feel easy and rewarding.

In our personal seasons of life, scripture instructs us to focus on our purpose and not on the problem in order to maintain a godly peace around really difficult circumstances. In essence, it is about tapping into the hope factor.

Our verse for the week points us to this nugget of truth when it says that God has planted eternity in the heart of man. This truth shifts our focus like a compass and points us to trust in knowing His goodness will prevail even when nothing around us looks very beautiful.

And even though we can’t always understand the situations we are in or why we are in them, we can trust that He will indeed make everything beautiful in its time. And that, my dear friend, spells HOPE.

Reflect and Respond:

What season are you in? Are you struggling with loneliness? Is parenting kicking your backside? How about money troubles—are you barely making ends meet? Maybe you are bored and nothing is happening and you are riding the wave of predictability. Whatever the case is and whatever season you are in, let me encourage you to continue to trust and keep your focus on Christ, knowing beauty awaits you!

Remember, you are not alone. Be blessed this week and let the compass of eternity point you heavenward.