4 Uplifting Prayers for Those Who Are Hurting This Valentine’s Day
Share

This isn’t a warm-and-fuzzy, celebrate romance piece. I suspect we’ve all seen more than enough highlight reels depicting the perfect relationship, date-night, or rose bouquet. If that’s your reality, praise God, and may the love you experience beautifully reflect God’s heart for humanity. For those of you who feel as if every idealized jewelry commercial pokes at an open wound, may your pain drive you to the One who adores you, sees your hurt, and forever remains with you.
Here are some biblical truths and prayer prompts you might find comforting.
1. For Those Who Feel Rejected and Alone
Early in my marriage, I struggled to believe my husband truly loved me. His tendency to withdraw when upset, coupled with a demanding career that kept him from home, left me feeling unwanted and cast aside. Because of toxic shame caused by childhood wounds, I took his emotional distance as proof that I lacked worth. I assumed there was something wrong with me.
If you relate, know this: God will never diminish or discard you. You don’t have to earn His affection or strive to maintain it. Note the promise in Deuteronomy 31:8. “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
The Bible reiterates this in Hebrews 13:5, which reads, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
These words carry additional emphasis in the original Greek and Hebrew language and culture. Both emphasize the presence of God and carry the connotation of consistent, intentional care. God is, in essence, declaring that He will never neglect, abandon, turn His back on us, loosen His grip on our lives, or cease working for our good. In these verses, He’s promising to remain constantly, lovingly with us, because it is not in His character to walk away.
Father,
Thank You for the numerous times in Scripture You’ve assured us of your presence. Thank You also for the countless examples of your faithful, persevering heart for Your children. May every biblical account of Your tender pursuit of people engaged in deliberate sin soothe our fear of rejection. When we feel like we’ve messed up or don’t measure up, remind us that we are enough because Christ in us is more than enough. When our world and relationships feel wobbly, we are grateful that You remain steady and secure. Teach us to receive and rely upon your love.
In the Name of Your Son, the One who died for us, we pray,
Amen.
2. For Those in a Painful Relationship
About 11 years into my marriage, I began emotionally withdrawing from my husband. We had recently moved from our close-knit community in Southern California to Louisiana. I homeschooled our daughter while my husband worked 60-70 hours a week and traveled at least half of every month. Without a biblical reason to leave, I remained in what felt like a dead relationship.
That was a painful, depressing time during which I began to lose hope. I knew God could reignite our love. But in my sorrow, I didn’t believe He would. During that season, He drew me to Himself and gave me the strength and courage I needed to follow His lead. When I sat in His presence, He reminded me that He is the God of restoration able to rebuild what’s broken.
Jesus came to make all things new. The prophet Isaiah proclaimed this aspect of His ministry when he wrote:
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor
This passage reminds us that God has good planned for us and is, at this moment, leading us toward a joyful future.
Father,
You, who created everything that moves and breaths from a single command can bring life to the relationships in our lives that feel dead. We also trust that You are using today’s challenges to bring us increased life. Show us where sin and unhealed pain holds us captive and lead us to greater freedom. You are the God who breaks the bonds of generational dysfunction that harm relationships and our souls. Like David in the Psalms, we ask You to search us, know us, and reveal — and remove — everything in us that doesn’t lead to increased life. Give us wisdom regarding how to handle our current relationship, and help us find comfort in You as we wait.
In the Name of Your grace-giving Son, we pray,
Amen.
3. For the Grieving
For some of you, this will be your first Valentine’s Day without your spouse. This holiday may feel bittersweet, marked with sorrow for the love that’s passed while you reminisce on special moments once shared. While I’ve not experienced such pain, I can fathom how deeply this loss must hurt.
May you find solace in the Father of Compassion who always moves toward the hurting and responds to our anguish as if He experienced it Himself (Matthew 25:40-45). As David, ancient Israel’s second king, wrote:
“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry; …The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit”(Psalm 34:15, 18).
Lord Jesus,
Scripture says You feel sympathetic toward our plight and remain with us in our pain. You, who wept over Jerusalem for what the people would soon suffer, understand our distress. Thank You for not putting a timetable on our grief. Instead, You hold us through it, surrounding us with Your tender presence. Speak gentle-and-hope-filled words to our souls. Remind us that our pain won’t last forever, because You still have good planned for us. You promised us a joy-filled future in paradise with You and everyone who placed their faith in You. When You conquered death through the cross, You guaranteed that one day, we will see our deceased loved ones again.
We ask this in Jesus’ precious name,
Amen.
4. For Those Who Don’t Know How to Trust
It took me a decade and a half to feel emotionally safe with my husband. Although I was immediately drawn to his kind and gentle nature, I feared it wouldn’t last. I was figuratively holding my breath, waiting for the day when everything fell apart. It took time, prayer, and healing before our bonds felt secure. That was a hard, and often frightening, journey that, ultimately, led to joy, fulfillment, and a relational depth beyond my hopes. While the path to connection often felt foggy and uncertain, the Spirit faithfully guided my steps.
Through the Old Testament prophet Isiah, the Lord promised,
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21).
And on the night before His death, Jesus said,
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13).
In those moments when we’re confused and don’t know how to ask God for help, Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit prays to the Lord on our behalf.
Father,
Thank You for not condemning us for our pain and fear. You saw every wound we’ve endured and understand why we find it hard to trust. You understand, but want more for us. You long to see us experience healing and build healthy and fulfilling connections. Break through the self-protective barriers we’ve constructed around our hearts, remove the lies that keep us in isolation, and flood our minds and souls with Your life-giving, relationship-building truth.
Wherever we land this Valentine’s Day, remind us that:
We’re loved. (Jeremiah 31:3)
We’re chosen. (Ephesians 1:4)
We’re seen. (Genesis 16:13)
We’re cherished. (Isaiah 43:4)
We’re secure in you. (John 10:28)
We’re never alone. (Psalms 139:5-12)
And You will never leave, forsake, betray, or reject us.
In the Name of our Savior, Your son, we pray,
Amen.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Annie Spratt
Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who co-hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and, along with a team of 6, the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and taught at writers conferences across the nation. She’s the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLou
She’s passionate about helping people experience Christ’s freedom in all areas of their lives. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event, and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and GodTube.