Our Deepest Longings ∙∙

Our Deepest Longings ∙∙

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. – Romans 8:26-27

Romans 8:22-27

For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.

We were given this hope when we were saved. If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

When Words Fail

Sometimes in life, we find ourselves at a loss for words. Whether it’s because of our deep emotions, the complexity of a situation, or pure surprise, expressing our thoughts can feel impossible. Being at a loss for words can be very embarrassing. This struggle is natural and common, even for writers facing the well-known “writer’s block.”

But what happens when we are at a loss for words in prayer? There are times when we cannot put into words our deepest desires, fears, or hopes, whether for ourselves or others. In these moments, the Father, who knows us all too well, steps in. Knowing our limitations, He intervenes and enables us to surmount them.

The Father’s Provision for Our Weakness

In moments when our words fail us, and we do not know what to say in prayer, the Father always does. The Father understands our struggles and has made a remarkable provision for us. When we are unable to find the words to pray, the Holy Spirit intervenes, taking over and interceding on our behalf.

Romans 8:26: “The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”

The Apostle Paul encourages us to pray, whether we have everything figured out or not. When our words fail, the Holy Spirit becomes our voice. He expresses our deepest longings, thoughts, and intentions to the Father. In moments of vulnerability and doubt, the Holy Spirit is our advocate, ensuring that our prayers reach the Father even when we cannot put them into words. In other words, the Holy Spirit speaks through us to the Father on our behalf.

The Spirit’s Perfect Intercession

The Holy Spirit not only prays for us but also specifically seeks to fulfill the Father’s will. While we may struggle to know how to pray or fully understand the Father’s intentions, the Holy Spirit always knows God’s will and intercedes on our behalf. His intercession is perfect, seeking that God’s will is accomplished in our lives.

Pause for a moment to reflect on this incredible truth: we have direct access to Someone who knows everything, all the time. The Holy Spirit is fully committed to seeing that the Father’s will is done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Moo asserts that “Our failure to know God’s will and consequent inability to petition God specifically and assuredly is met by God’s Spirit, who himself expresses to God those intercessory petitions that perfectly match the will of God. When we do not know what to pray for, yes, even when we pray for things that are not best for us, we need not despair, for we can depend on the Spirit’s ministry of perfect intercession ‘on our behalf’.”  

The Holy Spirit’s Active Role

How does this work out in real life? Reflect and consider. When we feel weak in our prayers, the Holy Spirit is strong in our place. The Holy Spirit’s help is not passive. He does not merely offer advice from a distance. Instead, He actively steps in, superseding our weaknesses and interceding with strength and precision.

“The Holy Spirit does not give armchair advice. He rolls up his sleeves and helps us bear our weakness. That is real help” (Hughes).

When we feel weak in our prayers, the Holy Spirit is strong in our place. He ensures that our prayers are heard and that they align with the Father’s perfect will.

REFLECT & PRAY

“Prayer is the divine in us appealing to the Divine above us” (C. H. Dodd).

Father, thank You for knowing me so well that You can express my deepest longings, which I cannot express myself. Thank you that the Holy Spirit is strong in my place when my prayers are weak, and prays to You on my behalf.

INSIGHT

The Groanings of the Spirit

In Romans 8:26, the Apostle Paul describes a profound and mysterious aspect of prayer: the groanings of the Holy Spirit. These groanings are inarticulate prayers expressed to the Father on our behalf (Zodhiates). The Greek word translated as “groanings” is stenagmos, a noun derived from the verb stenazo, meaning “to groan or sigh.” This term conveys “an involuntary expression of deep concern, stress, or anguish.”

The Spirit’s Role in Our Weakness

Paul emphasizes that the Holy Spirit does not remove our weakness but offers the help we need to endure and overcome it. As Morris explains, “We should notice further that Paul does not say that the Spirit removes our weakness; it is still there, and we live our whole life in conditions of weakness. What the Spirit does is to help; he gives us the aid we need to see us through. . .. Paul is simply referring to the fact that we who are Christians are not the spiritual giants we would like to be (and sometimes imagine we are). We are weak, and left to ourselves, we will always be in trouble.”

This acknowledgment of human frailty is a humbling reminder that, as children of the King, we are not all that we aspire to be. Left to our own devices, we are weak and prone to struggle. Yet, in our weakness, the Holy Spirit steps in to intercede for us, offering prayers that align perfectly with the will of God.

Sharing Our Burdens

The Holy Spirit’s groanings are not mere expressions of empathy; they are active intercessions on our behalf. As Wiersbe notes, “God is concerned about the trials of His people. Today, the Holy Spirit groans with us and feels the burdens of our weaknesses and suffering. But the Spirit does more than groan. He prays for us in His groaning so that we might be led into the will of God.

The Holy Spirit’s intercession is essential because we don’t always know how to pray or what to ask for. Our limited knowledge of God’s will can leave us unsure in our prayers. However, the Holy Spirit closes this gap. He doesn’t just watch our struggles from afar; He enters into them, groaning with us and for us, so that we can live according to God’s will.

The Spirit’s Perfect Prayers

Barclay captures the essence of this divine intercession: “Paul is saying that, because of our weakness, we do not know what to pray for, but the prayers we ought to offer are offered for us by the Holy Spirit.”

This truth is both soothing and empowering. It reassures us that even when we cannot find words, the Holy Spirit is not silent. He takes our unspoken desires, our deepest concerns, and our inexpressible pain, and turns them into prayers.

A Divine Partnership

The groanings of the Holy Spirit remind us of the intimate partnership we have with God. In our moments of weakness, when we feel inadequate or uncertain, the Spirit steps in to shoulder our burdens. His intercession is a sign of the Father’s love and the Spirit’s unwavering commitment to our spiritual growth and well-being.

Through the Spirit’s efforts, we are reminded that we are never alone in our struggles. The Holy Spirit is always present, actively working on our behalf to ensure that our prayers are heard.

The Holy Spirit’s intercession is a precious gift. Through His active role, we are reminded of the Father’s love and the Spirit’s unwavering commitment to our spiritual growth and well-being.

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© Dr. H 2025