Our Helper in Prayer
Romans 8:26-28
Have you ever been in such turmoil or pain that you dropped to your knees but couldn’t form words to pray? Perhaps you were too hurt to speak, or you were so perplexed by the situation that you were unsure what kind of relief to request. All you knew to do was groan, “Oh, Lord. Help!”
God understands that times of turbulence and confusion assail us. His Holy Spirit—who guides us in our prayer life—intercedes for us in those circumstances. The distress we experience might be physical or emotional, but it can sometimes be so overwhelming that we do not want to pray. The physiological response of the human body to painful stimuli is diminished concentration. Whether we are lacking words or focus, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is stepping in to speak for us with “groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). Those cries of “Help!” are being heard.
Occasionally, our call for aid is to sort out confounding situations. We may have two or three alternatives that all seem equally weighted. We may not even know which of them we would prefer; maybe each possibility looks equally bad from our limited perspective. So, we groan in our spirit, “Lord, show me the truth. Don’t let me make a mistake.” The Holy Spirit is perfectly interpreting our feelings as He lifts them to the Father. Our confusion is changed to clarity by the One who searches our hearts and knows the mind of God. (Romans 8:27) Trust the Spirit of God, who is imparted to you as a Helper.
Daily Devotions with Dr. Charles Stanlley, InTouch Ministries