Gift of God Devotional

Read Romans 8:18-30

When you think about prayer, what do you think of? Is prayer a verbal request? Is it an expression of gratitude? Is it a quiet contemplation? Is it a crying out to God? Is it a ritual? Is it a conversation?

Technically, all of these are right, but I like what Paul says in Romans 8:26-27.

“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 ‭NIV‬‬

The Spirit intercedes for us in wordless groans. I recently had to have knee surgery, and as I’ve been recovering, I have been groaning in pain a lot. For me, who has often cried out to God in anger and sadness, I understand this concept more as I look at my knee. As I am groaning in pain, I am looking to God in that moment – crying out to Him in the lack of words, just sounds. God knows our innermost thoughts and feelings (Psalm 139); He knows our hearts (Luke 16:16). He knows how we feel.

Even when we are weak and don’t know what we need or what to pray for, God hears us. He hears us in the groans and cries of anguish and sorrow, or in the shouts of glee, even without words. God hears us, even when we don’t hear ourselves.