When You Don’t Know What to Pray

“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).

A few weeks ago, we visited the Billy Graham Library. They offer prayer at the end of the tour. I wanted to ask someone in the prayer room to pray for me because I had a nagging feeling that something needed to change in my life, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. Then God made it clear.

As I stood at the checkout counter, I spotted a greeting card, by “DaySpring”, that read, “Less Hustle More Jesus.” That was it! It was the answer to what I needed to pray about. I quickly purchased the card, took it to the prayer room and handed it to one of the women who prayed for guests.

“This is my prayer request,” I said, as I handed her the card. She nodded knowingly, indicating we all had times when we needed less hustle and more Jesus. The woman prayed and I took God at His word that He had heard and would answer.

I hadn’t known how to pray, but God was able to make it very clear, via that card. Sometimes He speaks through His word, with His still, small voice, through circumstances, and sometimes even having someone strategically place greeting cards at the cash register to catch our attention!

Now, it’s almost December and I am eager to see how God will lead me to fulfill the saying on that card. I desperately want to sit in a quiet place and spend quality time with God without my mind darting from one topic to another or me popping up to put in another load of laundry.

December. Say the word and people start getting stressed. Visions of unmet expectations flood the minds of people everywhere. Will the children like their gifts? Will the food, decorations, and beautifully wrapped packages rival the best of home decorating magazines?

Somewhere in it all, we feel God tugging at our heartstrings. “Come, be still and sit a while with Me,” God seems to be saying. We desperately want to answer that call, but as we take the first step towards Him, the phone rings, the dryer buzzer goes off, or someone needs our help.

The vision of sitting quietly, soaking in His Presence disappears like a fog and we are off running in multiple directions at once.

How do we get to this point?

God had been “speaking” through the nagging feeling that I needed to slow down and put Him first. Had I stopped running long enough, mentally and physically, I would have heard sooner.

I am so appreciative to be able to ask others for prayer. However, as amazing as that is, it is tremendous to consider that the Holy Spirit prays for God’s people according to the will of God, as Romans 8:26-27 indicates.

If God is “speaking” to you through a nagging feeling that something is not quite right, consider kicking off your “running shoes” and sit for a while with the One who can show you what to pray.

It’s all about Jesus! To God be the glory!
Blessings and love, Gayle

© 2018 Gayle Holcomb