When We Can’t Pray

There are times in our lives when we can’t pray. We often wonder where God is. Sometimes we are so tired physically, emotionally, and spiritually, that praying seems like too much work. When we are going through health challenges, grief, or are pulling our hair out with parenting struggles, or are caring for elderly parents, we may have no stamina to even say, “Dear Lord, help.” What do we do?

Friends of a paralyzed man carried him to Jesus (Luke 5:17-26). The paralyzed man couldn’t get to Jesus by himself. Maybe he didn’t even want to see Jesus. But the friends knew he needed Him. They couldn’t get through the door of the crowded room, so they cut a hole in the roof and lowered their friend on his mat and placed him at the feet of Jesus. Jesus not only healed their friend’s physical need but also his deeper need for forgiveness. Sometimes, we need the intervention of friends to take us to Jesus whether we want to go or not. We need the help of the body of Christ to pray for us when we can’t pray.

What about you? Are you willing to acknowledge your need? Are you willing to be carried to Jesus? Who can you bring and lay at Jesus’ feet today? Know that we have the Holy Spirit, our Advocate who prays for us with wordless groans (Romans 8: 26). When we can’t pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.. When we can’t pray, we have the body of Christ to carry our burdens to Jesus for us. What a blessing!