PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• Sometimes, when I sit down to write this post, I feel like I couldn’t choke out a coherent sentence if my life depended on it.
I don’t know what to say.
But the times I feel that way are generally when I’m leaning too much on me, and leaning too little on Him.
When it comes to what to say, I need the Holy Spirit.
I need to lean heavily on Him because I don’t have anything worthwhile to talk about.
But He does.
And this is His project.
Similarly, just as we sometimes don’t know what to say, sometimes we don’t know what to pray.
Romans 8:26 says, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, 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.”
I tend to think of this verse when I’m overwhelmed or heartsick over something…
Not when I’m feeling just a little disconnected.
It’s during the times of disconnection that the next verse is so helpful: “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 8:27).
Let’s focus on this part of the verse—“the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”
It’s not always a moment of overwhelming heartbreak that leave us without words to pray…
It’s moments when maybe our will and God’s will aren’t quite lined up.
As one who really likes my way with things, this is where I have to really pause and remember Who is in charge.
I’m going to be completely honest with y’all — sometimes, I don’t want to pray for God’s will because I am scared it will be different from my own.
But Psalm 143:10a says, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.”
I love this — “teach me.”
God doesn’t expect us to automatically know His will.
His ways and thoughts are different from ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).
But He’s willing to teach us.
Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.”
When we seek God’s will above our own, He’s going to align our will with His.
That’s what it means when Jesus said, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.” (John 14:13).
God is never going to answer a prayer that is contrary to Scripture and He’s not going to answer a prayer that is outside His will.
But if we pray according to His will, He will answer!
When we don’t know what to pray, pray this:
“Holy Spirit, please search my heart and teach me God’s will. Release my stubborn willfulness and remove my fear over praying for God’s. And please, help me connect with God so we are in complete agreement that His will be done, not my own. Please fill my heart with trust that His plans are always going to be better than mine.”
Today, as you pray, thank the Holy Spirit for always being with you and for His intercession and prayers on your behalf.
Thank Him for His eager willingness to teach you how to follow God’s will.
One Response
What a beautiful prayer for the Spirit’s guidance you have written for us! Thank you, dear Denise! <3 <3