Our Helper in Prayer

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Christians need the Holy Spirit's help in prayer. At times in our faith life, we will find that we cannot: - Find the right words - Discern God's will - Recognize what He is doing, or - Grasp the complexity of a situation. Periods of struggle in prayer are normal for believers. Few of us are as eloquent as the psalmist David - especially when we are confused, distressed, or weary. Today we'll look at two biblical examples of prayer in challenging situations. First, notice that in today's Scripture, the apostle Paul admits to feeling weak in his prayer life. His well-known request was for God to remove a "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul pleaded desperately - and probably with great effort - for relief. With the Spirit's help, he came to understand the Lord's call to endure in spite of pain. And second, Jesus Christ agonized over the divine cal to sacrifice His life at Calvary. Although He was committed to doing God's will, He dreaded the immeasurable spiritual suffering that lay ahead. As He lay on the ground, the Savior uttered this urgent sentence: "My father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). God knew we'd need help in prayer. With our limited human perspective, we cannot know all aspects of the situations facing us. But the Holy Spirit understands our needs and burdens - as well as the "big picture." He carries our requests to God even when we can't adequately express them.