"In like manner the spirit also joins in with help for our weakness; for the problem of what we should pray for as we need to we do not know, but the spirit itself pleads for us with groanings unuttered."
I've been thinking about this scripture since Thursday. One of the sisters in my congregation brought out this verse as her Bible highlight this week and it really touched me. This sister suffers from MS and it is clear it has affected her deeply. She and her husband were once in a local French congregation, but as her disease progressed rapidly, they moved to our congregation. She spoke with a friend of mine who used to be in the same French congregation about the struggles she's been facing. Occasionally she stumbles and stutters her words, will lose track of thought during a comment, has troubles walking. She said that she was terribly embarrassed by these things, that she can hear and feel herself making these mistakes, but she has no way to control or fix the problem. In those moments, she said it's like her brain is buffering and she just can't get anywhere.
When she brought out this scripture, it gave me a different insight into her own pain. My thoughts on this scripture were, even though I may be so depressed or hurt, or even crying and weeping so deeply even I can't tell what I'm praying to Jehovah, Jehovah knows. He knows our pain and what is ailing us. He knows the real issue. And he cares deeply for us. But after hearing her comment, I realized that it can go even beyond that. At times, my dear sister is incapable of even thinking of the right words to put together to address Jehovah. She may not even know what to pray to Jehovah, but the holy spirit will plead for her.
What a comforting thought and provision from Jehovah. Even our unuttered groanings are not only heard, but listened to by Jehovah, the Hearer of Prayer.
