Even When You Don’t Have Words: Faith
There are times when words simply fail us. Praying in these moments can seem unimaginable. And yet—remarkably—God makes provision for us to pray even when we have no clue what to say.
In Romans 8, Paul acknowledges that we live in a broken world. We experience suffering now. Loss. Sometimes the brokenness comes at our own hands; sometimes we are the ones who are broken by outside factors. Paul first encourages us that things won’t always be this way. We were made for a whole, healed world, and one day that will be reality. In the meantime, we groan. And all of creation groans along with us.
Then Paul says that even when we don’t know how to pray as we ought, the Spirit of God intercedes for us with groaning that are too deep for words. In a broken world, we often don’t even know what to ask God for. But he still wants to be with us. He still longs for that conversation. So in these moments, his Spirit will pray for us. We don’t know what to say, but he does. We may not even know what we truly want or need. But the Spirit will do the talking. Our role is to simply enter his presence.
This is praying in faith. We don’t have the answers, but we know the one who does. The specific requests are not as important as the conversation. So we keep coming back to God in faith, not because we know how he should solve our problems, but because we know he is the only one who can. Sometimes the conversation is quiet and tear-filled, but it matters even then. Perhaps especially then.
Romans 8 v 18-30
Present Suffering and Future Glory I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 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. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Say What’s on Your Mind: Intercession
The moment prayer becomes anything other than a conversation with God, we’ve made it into something it’s not. But what do you say when you’re talking to God?
This question is all-important. One answer is that we can say anything to God. He’s listening, and he cares. It doesn’t matter how trivial, difficult, outraged, or perplexed your prayers are: God cares about what you care about. And a whole lot more. So if you care about other people, you should expect those people to come up in your conversations with God.
John 15 v 12-17
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
There is a statement that pops up a few times in the New Testament: “If you ask anything in [Jesus’] name, [the Father] will give it to you.” How’s that for a blank check? But looking at the context of just one of these statements will give some insight into what Jesus wants us to be praying for.
In John 15, Jesus tells us that in remaining connected to him, we find life. And we find his life flowing through us to others (a concept he refers to as “bearing fruit”). When he tells us that God will grant our every request, he adds “so that you will love one another” (v. 17). In other words, praying for people is a form of love. Jesus’ love flows through you as your love for other people leads you to pray for them. This is what we mean by “intercessory prayer.”
It’s a sign of health in your conversations with God when you find yourself naturally talking to God about more and more aspects of your life. If you care about it, God wants to hear about it.
Pure is defined as not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material. We know where there is light, there is no darkness. And that God is Light. When your heart is bitter, when you’re vindictive, angry, jealous, gossiping, lying, pretentious, exploitative, greedy, self-absorbed, backbiting and generally uttering negative communications, then that is darkness in your heart.
A man with a pure heart shall see God Matthew 5 v 8
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
A humble man or a man that is meek shall inherit the earth Matthew 5 v 5.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
1 Peter 5 v 5-7
In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favour to the humble.”[a]
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Pray at all times, talk to God at all times, humble yourself before man and most importantly before God. You can not say you’re humble before God and proud towards and with your fellow man, since God is in all of us, by being proud before your fellow man, you’re being proud before God. God can not be mocked. Pray for your fellow man and for yourself, even when you don’t know what to say, the spirit intercedes for us. In all situations and circumstances bring it all before God. Philippians 4 v 4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
