He intercedes for us

"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 with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." -- Romans 8:26-27

Have you ever felt like you don't know what to pray for? I found myself this morning with a giant list of "to-do's" and not enough time in the day. I thought of problems I have to deal with, and I don't even know what a good solution would look like. The Bible says to ask God for what you need, and he will give it to you, but what do you do when you don't know what you need?!?!

I started to pray a few times, only to groan and sigh, frustrated that I didn't know what to pray about. I was stressed and frustrated.(my stress was multiplied because we had just studied Philippians 4:6-7 in our small group Bible study this past week, so I knew in order to have peace, I needed to pray, and here I am not knowing what to pray for!)

Then I remembered a song we sang this past week at church called "At the Cross" by Hillsong. Despite the stressful issues of this day, I lifted up the verse of the song as a prayer:
"O Lord, you've searched me. You know my way. And even when I fail you, I know you love me."

I felt peace about everything. The stress was gone. And then Romans 8:26-27 popped into my head. I was so humbled that we have a Father who loves us so much that he's given us his own Spirit. When we don't even know what to pray for or what we need, the Spirit intercedes in our behalf so that even in situations when we cannot recognize what God's will is, we still somehow accomplish it. What a gift from our God. It reminds me of a song I wrote awhile back called "Nothing We Have Done":

"I must confess I deserve the grave
Without your love I could never change.
Yet I find rest in your grace,
And what have you required of me

But to act justly,
And love mercy,
And walk humbly with you God.

There's nothing we have done to deserve your love,
While we were still sinners you gave your Son.
There's nothing we could do to be good enough.
It's only by your grace -- you first loved us.
It's only by your Son, it's only by his blood,
It's nothing we have done."

APK