wordless groans

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." - Romans 8:26 NIV

Has your circumstances ever been so tough on you that when you go to God to pray, you're left speechless? You can't describe the way you're feeling and all you're left with in that moment is your tears? Have you ever felt like you couldn't pray or talk to God the way you wanted to and it discouraged you? As if you thought that God could only hear you one-way, which is from your voice? 

"Wordless Groans" are so profound to God and some of us may feel that it is a hinderance because we think talking "all the time" is the way for God to clearly hear us. Our minds are stuck on a one-way communication. Because he is God, his way of hearing us is far beyond our knowledge of how we think he is suppose to hear us. God hears your thoughts, your heart, and even your tears are words to him. You are in a place where God completely understands you when you are restrained to pour out your heart to him. You are in the same place I was in too, honey. 

I can recall quiet times I would have with the Lord and it would bother me when I was not able to talk to him the way I wanted to, my circumstances was so heavy on my heart that I didn't know where to begin, so that I could start to cast all my cares and worries onto him. I got discouraged but immediately God reminded me that the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf when we don't know what to pray for. We are weak, but he is strong. We are lost, but we found ourselves in him. 

I praised God, with tears in my eyes, for knowing that you don't have to always verbally speak for him to understand you, for him to work on your behalf, and for him to be with you. Because he will never leave nor forsake you, know that he will never misunderstand you. He created you. Everything you're going through was pre-planned and already recorded in his books before you were born. (Psalm 139:16)

The best way to pour your heart out to God when words fail is to write them out. Journaling is a way to connect with God deeper than you could imagine. When longing for God's voice, God wants us to open our minds about how we can hear him and how he can hear us. Writing out your prayers is enough for God to answer them. You may wonder, "Okay God, I wrote out my prayers to you, how do I know that you heard them?." Honey, God is faithful to hear whatever you direct to him, if your mind and heart is intentionally set on to talk to him, that catches his attention. You always got his attention, he always desires to speak to you and wants to help you. 

Your circumstances are a "brush off the shoulder" "piece of cake" to God. So when you write out your prayers, believe that he heard you, learn to trust God with his timing with answering them. I knew that since "God takes care of everything I have no control over" why would I constantly meditate on my circumstances? The enemy thinks he is clever with making you believe that God can't hear you. Liar. You can sit here right now, reading this, and know that your thoughts are heard by the Lord. 

Never get discouraged if you try to talk to him and it isn't working, it's okay, Thank God for his Holy Spirit interceding for you. Thank him for being the Father that cares for you and everything that hurts, bothers, and overwhelms you. God wants you to believe that he can hear you. To sit there in silence, waiting expectantly, is enough for God to hear your heart clearly calling out to him. 

The next time, you're restrained to speak, be at peace with knowing that God still hears you either way. Right now, you may be unable to speak, it's okay, trust that you will be able to one day and your words will be flowing nonstop, but until then, still sit in his presence and rest gently. God is so perfect in all of his ways, and always remember that God hears more than you can imagine.