2 minute read.
Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22 ESV, Romans 8:26-39 ESV, Psalm 18:37-50 ESV, Proverbs 19:27-29 ESV
Daily Verse: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26 ESV)
STENAGMOS (4726): “A sigh, groaning. In Rom 8:26, in the plural, of the intercessory groanings of the Holy Spirit.”[I]
Groaning sigh.
God speaks groans. When we don’t have words to pray, the Holy Spirit does it for us. Sighs of sadness and pain become prayers to the Lord, a way of lifting our sorrow to Him, seeking God’s comfort.
When one of my best friends moved to Mt. Pleasant, SC, to plant Life Community Church with her husband, I groaned a lot; we both did. Our friendship blossomed on the tennis court, a place we met often. We checked the weather and our schedules each week to see how much time we could spend on the painted asphalt.
As the day of their departure grew closer, the sighs became longer and louder. Never one to like change, the sadness I felt overwhelmed me. But God heard each groan and answered with love.
God comforts.
On Valentine’s Day 2007, the caravan for S.C. left Williamsburg, VA, to fulfill God’s call on my friend’s lives. To commemorate the day, I bought us matching V-day shirts to wear for the trip. Helping them relocate helped me persevere through the loss of my tennis buddy and spiritual mentor from my daily life.
During my time of groaning, God comforted me. Christ met me in my pain and carried me forward, drawing me closer to Him. As a result, my relationship with the Creator exponentially grew as I spent more time with Him. How God soothes our hurting souls differs from person to person. In God’s sovereignty, He meets us uniquely and speaks to us differently.
Allow the Holy Spirit to pray for you. Trust that God understands the groans of your heart. Let yourself grieve the losses, seeking God in your despair. When you do, God will meet you in your darkest moments, comforting you and bringing light to lead you forward.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 233) Thomas Nelson
