2485) There have been times in my life when circumstances were so over-whelming, I felt stunned. In these moments, I more or less shut down and just barely existed.

Prayer in these times was short and to the point. I cried out, help me, over and over again. At other times, I have been at a loss for words.

Romans 8:26-27 steps in at times like these. Paul tells us that the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. This brings me comfort.

They also bring me comfort for what they do not say. They don’t tell me that the Spirit explains all that’s going on with me. They do not say the Spirit tells God a list of how things went wrong. It also doesn’t say the Spirit tells God what should be the plan of action.

Instead, it says the Spirit groans for me. In times of deep suffering, the comforting thing for me is that the Spirit communicates the suffering deep within me in a form that honors my suffering. He groans. We have a God who groans on our behalf.