Groaning to Glory

CONSECRATION Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.  Jesus, I belong to you. I lift up my heart to you. I set my mind on you. I fix my eyes on you. I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice. Jesus, we belong to you.  Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.  SCRIPTURE Romans 8:18–27 NIV I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. CONSIDER THIS Hope is difficult to hold onto at times. Whether it’s hoping for good news, healing, or an answer to prayer, the space between what we hope for and what we already have can feel endless—and the temptation to tap out can be strong. But it’s in these moments of longing for what we don’t yet have that our awareness of reality sharpens. With the Spirit’s help, we begin to sense the weight of what is missing, to yearn for resolution, and to realize that the longing we experience is not isolated—it’s part of something deeper, something shared by all of creation. Paul’s words to the Romans reveal that frustration awakens this yearning in us. Our inward groans, born of hardship, mirror creation’s cry for liberation from decay and its longing for the fullness of God’s glory to be revealed. Suffering doesn’t leave our faith untouched. It can rattle us, landing solid blows to our souls and leaving us wrestling with hard questions. But as the dust settles, we often find that it has drawn us into deeper waters than where we started. The questions we ask, the wilderness we wander through, and the wrestling we do produce a greater depth of relationship and communion with God. The pain we experience magnifies the hope we have for the day when Jesus will return, and the fullness of God’s kingdom will be expressed. In suffering, the promise of that day becomes sharper, more urgent, and more deeply treasured. Christian hope is not aimless optimism. It is the hope we were saved into, a hope that gives us the strength to wait patiently for what we do not yet see. Paul compares this waiting to the pains of childbirth—agony paired with anticipation. Labor is painful, but it’s endured for something precious: new life. The discomfort of this not-yet-fully-realized hope doesn’t diminish its value or reality. Instead, it highlights its worth and nearness. Thankfully, we aren’t left to hope in our own devices, methods, or strength. Paul lets us know the Spirit of God, who cultivates this longing in us, also “helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (vv. 26b–27). Take a moment and sit with this reality: Right now, the Spirit is interceding for God’s people in accordance with God’s will. What does this mean? To intercede literally means to intervene or petition on behalf of another. It’s no wonder when Jesus promises His Spirit to His disciples in John 14, He gives the Spirit a name: the “Advocate.” This means the Spirit of God—who knows your heart and every detail of your life—is advocating for you at this very moment in accordance with God’s purposes. The same is true for your friends, your family, and your community. So, we wait—not passively, but with patience and expectation—with the prayers and intercession of the Spirit in us and for us and for all creation, holding fast to hope. RESPONSE PROMPTS In what ways has suffering or hardship deepened your understanding of God’s promises? Paul describes the Spirit interceding for us in our weakness. How does this truth influence the way you approach prayer during difficult seasons? How might the Spirit’s intercession for all of creation shape the way you pray for your community and for the world? PRAYER Holy Spirit, thank You that You are interceding for me even now. I lay before You any frustration I’m experiencing in my life—big or small—and ask that You help me hold onto hope. Help me in my weakness when I don’t know what to pray for, and teach me to wait patiently in hope for what is to come. Amen.