In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. – Romans 8:26-27
I walked into last night’s prayer meeting with a list of people to pray for. One of the people on the list is sick and in the hospital. Another is sitting in a hospice facility with his father who’s near death. Another is in a desperate struggle with drug addiction and homelessness. These are just a few. My list is long. And others there had long lists too. It’s interesting how sometimes we come into our prayer meeting and there’s more praise than petition. But then there are times, like last night, when we’re bombarded with difficult circumstances to bring before God.
As we shared our lists with each other, it seemed overwhelming. Marriage problems. Financial problems. Health problems. Family problems. People having to cope with losing someone they love. I think had we prayed for everyone on our lists, we never would’ve come home – we’d still be there.
I’m so thankful that God knows what’s really going on inside us, those days when we come to Him and all we can muster is a desperate groan. He understands what the Holy Spirit is asking for on our behalf. Even when we don’t know how to pray for someone or struggle putting things into words, the Spirit speaks to God for us in a way that perfectly fits with His purposes.
God understands our deepest thoughts, our motives, and our feelings. Even the ones we can’t explain. He and the Spirit are completely in sync. There’s no misunderstanding between them. The Holy Spirit steps in and prays for us, like in those moments like last night when we feel overwhelmed, confused, or at a loss for words.
And when the Spirit intercedes for us in prayer, His prayers are always aligned with what God knows is best – even if that’s different from what we’re praying for.
When life becomes so heavy that all we can manage is a sigh of desperation, God still hears a true prayer being prayed for you. In the midst of a troubled world, I find tremendous comfort in this truth.
Former Blackout Artist 