“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. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26–27, ESV)
What if I could give you something to do as a believer in which you had an absolute guarantee of success. One in which regardless of your skill level, or knowledge, or years of practice, you could not fail. Would you want to engage in such an activity? I believe that the answer would be an absolute and resounding yes! Well, such is the spiritual exercise of prayer.
Paul gives us a glimpse into a remarkable work of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer, regardless of their level of spiritual maturity. We are all subject to human frailties, weaknesses. Weakness in our flesh and minds often impairs our ability to specifically pray in various situations as we ought. We may understand the bigger and more generic objectives, but in the specific situations of our lives, we may miss the mark in prayer.
Often, when I go through a trial, I do not understand why. My prayers are often very basic. “God, get me out of this mess.” Yet, I do not understand the specific purpose of the trial. God has much larger and greater purpose in all the events of our lives than we understand. So, we pray. And sometimes we even think of the higher things, like learning a spiritual lesson, becoming more like Christ, and etcetera. Yet, we still do not understand the specifics for which we must pray. Moreover, due to our weaknesses we cannot connect with the intensity that we should also.
Here is the good news. God understands our heart. While those after God’s own heart will most often still miss the specific mark in prayer, the Holy Spirit of God intercedes for the believer. In this intercession, the Spirit presents the request to God with the intensity and in perfect coordination with the will of God. Therefore believer, pray to the best of your ability knowing that your prayers reach the Father, fine tuned and perfect according to His will.
Renewing the Heart 