Romans 8:26-27

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Paul has been talking about the painful realities of life in a fallen world. But in a previous reading (verse 23) he reminded us that the fact that God has given us the Holy Spirit is proof that things are going to be okay:

22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience [Romans 8:22–25].

The Holy Spirit is “the firstfruits,” the down payment or guarantee that we have reason to hope. The firstfruits were the part of the farmer’s crop that ripened first, and the appearance of the firstfruits were indication that the rest would later follow. God has given us His Holy Spirit now, in the midst of the broken world, and so the joy and hope that the Holy Spirit gives us now—even while things can still be really difficult—is a sign of better things yet to come.

But, despite the presence of the Holy Spirit’s and the encouragement He gives, there are still many times when it seems impossible to feel hopeful.

What do you say, what do you do in the midst of great suffering, loss, and pain?

Since Columbine, there have been more and more mass shootings at American schools. What could you possibly say at the funeral for a mass shooting victim? What could you possibly say that wouldn’t seem totally empty and useless to the grieving family?

This is exactly the kind of scenario that Paul is describing in v. 26:

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words [Romans 8:26].

Paul says that the Jesus-people should be right there in the midst of tragedy and pain, interceding in prayer, and that when we do not know what to say—when there are no words—that the Holy Spirit Himself prays for us in a way that is deeper than words.

It’s as if God wants and expects His people to be right in the midst of the world’s pains but that He also knows that the pain is too much for us, so His Spirit comes alongside and helps us be what the world needs.

27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God [Romans 8:27].

You don’t know what to say? The Spirit knows your heart and can formulate your unspoken and unformed prayers.

I think, therefore, that the message of Romans 8:26–27 for us is that, as the Jesus-people, living in the Spirit, our role is to be right at the world’s painful places—to run to the world’s suffering, like spiritual firemen responding to a 5-alarm emergency—but that we don’t need to worry about what to say when we have no words—the Spirit knows our hearts and can take our unformed prayers to the Father.