Answer
In Romans 8:18–27, the apostle Paul encourages believers to endure trouble, suffering, and persecution in this present life by holding on to the living hope of our future redemption and “glorious freedom from death and decay” (verse 21, NLT). While we wait, eagerly anticipating that future day “when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children” (verse 23, NLT), Paul wants us to remember that we are not alone. God cares about our trials here on earth. He has given us the Holy Spirit to share the load and help carry our burden: “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words” (verse 26, NLT).
In Romans 8:26, Paul uses the Greek noun astheneia, translated as “weakness,” to refer to our limited capacity as human beings and our susceptibility to sin and death. Instead of condemning us for our frailty, the Holy Spirit comes alongside us in our weakness, providing strength, guidance, and His comforting presence. One way the Spirit helps us in our weakness is through prayer—when we don’t know what God wants us to pray for.
If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you’ve probably struggled with prayer. Especially during times of suffering, it’s easy to be overcome with doubt and confusion about God’s will and purposes. Sometimes, we don’t know whether to pray for healing, deliverance from an affliction, or the grace to endure. In these moments, we can let the Spirit intercede for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. The Spirit may direct us to specific Scriptures or lead us to pray in a way that aligns with God’s will.
In Paul’s case of the “thorn in the flesh,” three times the apostle pleaded with the Lord to remove something he was struggling with physically. But God answered Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). In this instance, the Holy Spirit did not remove Paul’s weakness but empowered him to endure it and find strength through it. This is an example of how the Spirit can work in our lives, even amid physical or emotional challenges.
What a relief to know that the effectiveness of our prayers does not depend on us. Even when we don’t know what we need, “the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will” (Romans 8:27). When we pray in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit goes to bat for us, intervening before the Father on our behalf (Ephesians 6:18).
As believers, we should not be ashamed of weakness (2 Corinthians 11:30). When we feel powerless and vulnerable, we have an opportunity to depend on God and let His strength become evident in our lives (Isaiah 40:29–31). For this reason, Paul said, “I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10, NLT; see also 1 Corinthians 1:27–29).
Before Jesus departed this earth, He promised to send the Holy Spirit as an advocate and teacher to be with us forever and testify to the truth (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). The Father knew that, in our powerlessness and limited capacity as fallen humans, we would need to depend entirely on the Lord and His Spirit to endure the hardships of this life. Through faith, trust, and reliance on the Spirit, we receive God’s strength to help us in our weakness.
