Encouragement from God's Word...

The Bible teaches us that we should hide His Word in our hearts and that we should meditate on it -- making God's Word a very integral part of our thinking processes.

In my young years, I was able to be a part of an AWANA club and also attend a Christian school, where Scripture memorization and Bible study were a primary focus. As I have encountered circumstances of life, particularly trials, God has brought His Word to mind -- the right passage at the right time...

In the last weeks, we have truly struggled with the temptation to lose faith in our Savior. We are being tried and tested, and our hearts are heavy with the burden of not knowing how He will provide. We do know He will provide.

This has brought to mind that passage in Romans 8 where Paul tells us the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us with "groanings which cannot be uttered", as the King James Version puts it. I particularly like that translation -- it seems to be a clear description of those times when all that comes are tears -- and then sometimes there are not even enough tears. We are emotionally drained. We are truly beyond ourselves. God must be our Provider and Sustainer because it certainly isn't me!

As I read that verse, it is interesting to review the context of the passage. Going back to verse 1 of Romans 8, the context is really about the struggle we as Christians (but first as humans) have with sin, and that the struggle has ultimately been put to rest by our Savior. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Paul picks up this idea again in verse 33 and following -- that sin can no longer separate us from Christ because that has been dealt with on the cross.

But, in the middle of the chapter, Paul spends some time considering the struggle that we have here in this flesh -- not directly with sin, but with the difficulties of life -- that are indeed a result of the sinful, fallen world we live in.

Here are verses 18 through 32 (KJV from the BibleGateway.com):


¹⁸For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
¹⁹For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
²⁰For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
²¹Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
²²For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
²³And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
²⁴For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
²⁵But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
²⁷And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
²⁹For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
³¹What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
³²He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?


This passage uses that word "groan" several times -- first, the creation itself groans because of the bondage of corruption -- we live in a fallen world. Then, we ourselves groan in anticipation of having a redeemed body -- that is, we currently live in a fallen world, but we know there is a perfect heaven which awaits us (Christians -- since the context is the Church at Rome).

Paul then says in 24 and 25 that we have hope! The same "hope" we have in Salvation is the hope of the completion of our Salvation -- the full redemption of our bodies in heaven one day! This hope is obviously not the "nail biting" hope we usually refer to, but the surety that we will indeed spend eternity in heaven if we have trusted Him as our Savior.

Then comes that verse that God has brought back to me this week -- "Likewise, the Spirit itself also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."


This is where I find myself right now. I am at the end of myself. The Holy Spirit knows my heart, and He takes those unexpressable pains and "groanings" and, knowing the will of God, brings them before the Throne of Grace on my behalf...


And then Paul puts an exclamation point on this comfort in that more popular verse 28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."


Yes, these trials, or sufferings, are for some purpose that we may not understand. But, we know that these are not some random events that surprised God as much as they did us. Even being terminated by my former employer did not in some way thwart God's plan. No, this is His very plan! We are still living through His plan, but the plan itself is complete...


He does love us, and so we know that the working of this plan is ultimately for our good!


My Savior, I ask today that you would help us first to trust that your Word is true. And then, Lord Jesus, I ask that you would allow your plan to be revealed enough to strengthen our weakening faith. For, we still live in this fallen world. As you tell us in Psalm 103:13-14, you have compassion on us as a Father on His children because you know we are frail, but dust -- formed from the dust of the ground...