WHAT TO PRAY FOR?

WHAT TO PRAY FOR?

Rom 8:26

26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

           What could cause confusion regarding our prayers? When we pray we certainly feel sufficient need or pain to ask God to remove it yet Paul prayed three times for a “thorn in the flesh” to be removed and God said no. Instead what he received was grace to be able to bear it.

           We sometimes ask to be released from some difficult duty without understanding that God is trying to shape us into something we are not. He is using this hard thing to develop experience, wisdom and trust in Him but that is never what we ask for. We ask for a rescue or a short cut.

           We groan beneath our heavy load and we ask that the load be made lighter. Instead we are made stronger and His grace is more evident in our lives. We really do not know what to ask for “as we ought.” The scripture clearly places us repeatedly in error yet God does not condemn us in our ignorance. Instead we are given the Holy Spirit to do our praying for us.

           He groans on our behalf. The word is stenagmos or sighing. This sighing is alaletos which means unspeakable. It is spirit language and He is our interpreter. When God hears He understands and moves quickly and mightily to meet our needs – not necessarily what we have asked for.

Which would you prefer? Would you want God to give you precisely what you have asked for or do you want God to give you what He knows to be best. Ah, we are very selfish and the answer is not hard. We want what we want! But the wise will ponder the question and answer that it is best to let Him have His way. This verse is quickly followed by the famous “all things” verse of Romans 8:28.

Rom 8:28

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Dear Lord, we are tired but we dare not ask for rest. We are poor but we dare not ask for wealth. We are confused so we ask only that your will be done in our lives today. AMEN