He Helps Us in Our Weakness

Have you ever been helped in a time of crisis? Perhaps my 10th grade Physics class doesn’t quite rise to the level of “crisis”, but I can promise you that as I sat on that science room stool looking hopelessly at a test question that required a theorem to answer (which I had conveniently forgotten), I was feeling pretty panicked. I had done all the things, right, all the things that one is supposed to do when you blank on a test question. I had gone on and tried to finish every other question. I had read it slowly. I had read it out lout. Nothing. I remember putting my head into my hands in frustration when I looked down and saw shoes standing beside my desk. I looked up into the eyes of my Physics teacher. He looked over my test. Paused. Picked up my pencil. And wrote the theorem neatly above the question. A hero! In all honesty I probably still missed the question, but that’s not the point!! He offered me help for a problem that was beyond me. In all honesty, I didn’t even know how to properly ask for help because I didn’t know what I didn’t know in that moment. 

Listen to Paul’s words...

[T]he 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. (Rom. 8:26)

Jesus described the Holy Spirit as “the Helper” in John 14. One of His Divine ministries is to enable the believer to accomplish the task that God has for him or her. As a Christian reads God’s Word and becomes convinced that he will in fact commit to serving God in his immediate context, the Helper comes along side and inspires, convicts, comforts, and enables that God-honoring ministry to take place. 

But the reality that must be confronted is that sin gets in the way. The Evil One rages against God and His People. There are times when despite the best theology, discouragement, and trials mount. In those times, the Christian is not abandoned! In fact, the Helper offers aid in those moments and even steps into the gap left by our desire and efforts. When you are at your wits end and it seems like evil must prevail, when we do not even know what or how to pay, the Spirit helps us in our weakness! 

He Himself intercedes for us with groanings (heartfelt cries) that go beyond even the possibility of language. This is love. This is true help. This is reconciliation. 

So take heart and embrace the Spirit’s help with humility and gratitude! Trust Him. 

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