The NIV 365 Day Devotional

Hope in Prayer

Sometimes we think we need to have eloquent prayers to be heard by God. Not true. Our best prayers are often, “Help!” or “I’m confused,” or “I’m afraid.” The apostle Paul reminds us that prayer can even be without proper words. The Spirit of God within us intercedes for us with “wordless groans” (verse 26).

God sees us. He knows us. He discerns what we’re worried about. When life is overwhelming and we have no words to describe what we’re going through, or trauma steals our voice and we don’t even know what to ask for, we can still hope. Why? Because God already knows. He loves us enough to communicate for us when words fail. He loves with abandon.

No matter what circumstance is giving you anxiety today, Paul reminds us that during those groaning prayers, God is at work. He will take what we see as failure or duress or brokenness and, eventually, make something beautiful from each difficult situation. He does this for his glory and our good.

Because of that, we have hope. God loves to take impossible situations and do something redemptive through them. Even when we can’t verbalize our need, he is already working.

Lord, thank you that even when I don’t know how to pray, or my words get caught in my throat, your Spirit is interceding for me. I trust that you will bring good from every mess in my life. Amen.

When has God answered an unspoken prayer of yours? What happened? What did you learn about God through that situation?

Taken from the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible.