"26 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. 27 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'm pretty sure I'm not the only person who's prayed for something that didn't come to pass, and was left to wonder if I prayed for the wrong thing. Was I at fault for not knowing the will of God? Did I not listen enough? What follows is usually perplexity at best, faith-jarring confusion at its absolute worst. The purpose of our lives and our prayers is to glorify God and so often I fail miserably to want that. What I want is happiness and health for myself and those I care about. I can't trust my own desires to be in line w/ God. What ends up happening is I get so caught up in trying to anticipate God's will that I neglect prayer, for fear of praying for the wrong thing and so be disappointed. Is it ok to pray to get into a school? What if that was not God's design? Should I be praying for a marriage partner, or is God's plan for me singleness forever and ever? So I often do not know what I ought to pray for.
I found these encouraging words in Romans 8:26, "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." What this tells me is that there will OFTEN be times when we do not know how to pray. Times when we ask for direction and get absolute silence. Times when we pray, either inadvertently or (God help me) purposefully, in opposition to God's will. And (here's the good news) its OK! Paul candidly debated with himself whether he should pray for his life or death in Philippians 1:21; Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane was hardly a 100% certainty on what he wanted, AND HE'S GOD HIMSELF. In other words, this uncertainty is not unnatural, but a normal part of the Christian experience.
What we find in Romans 8 is that upon our profession of faith and adoption in God's family, we're given the Holy Spirit - the third person of the trinity. The Spirit himself prays while within us to the Father in perfect accordance to God's will, even as he slowly shifts our will into alignment with his. The right words are spoken to the one who listens, and the Spirit's prayers are always answered. Yet my prayers are an expression of my dependence and trust in God and are not wasted words, but are absolutely critical in keeping me mindful and worshipful of the one who grants righteous prayers - be it mine and/or the Spirit's. It is still right to pray our desires to God, but we keep a worshipful attitude that it is his will that must be done, not ours. So that if I prayed right when God wanted left, the Spirit will pray left and God will cause me to go in the direction I am meant to go. I desperately want the kind of unconquerable faith that would allow me to Amen the granted latter rather than the unanswered former.
Have a Happy Wednesday!
Edward
Crazy BMX Action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj6ho1-G6tw
