God Does All The Hard Work

We don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

Romans 8:26-27

When my daughter was applying to colleges, she asked me where I thought she should go. I told her I honestly did not know what God had in mind for her, but I knew His choice was best for her, and that if she asked Him for wisdom, He certainly would give it. I prayed God’s best for her and that He would direct her steps as she trusted in Him. I also pointed her to Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” What Christian mother doesn’t want God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will for her children (Romans 12:2)?

When all we can do is ask God to be Himself, He will be true and guide us as He knows best. God does all the hard work, even in prayer! This passage is comforting to me because I can relate to what Paul said in Romans 8. Like him, I don’t always know what God wants me to pray for. The power in prayer comes from God. He always knows what good, pleasing, and perfect thing is needed in every single situation, and He knows that my heart wants His best.

I know He is sovereign over all that happens and He will always do the right thing. He cares about me and the people I love, about our country and our world. You and I can truly bring everything to Him in prayer, whether our requests are spoken out loud or silently, under our breath or in our minds. The Spirit of God does all the hard work and pleads for us believers in sync with God’s own will.

When life’s direction looks unclear, keep praying and trusting God to show you His will, which will never veer from His Word! Then wait for His peace and expect His answer as you move forward in faith.