Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

We’re only a few days into the new year. I won’t name names, but it’s possible that some have already struggled to keep up with something they were determined to do or improve this year. You don’t need to make excuses for missing a walk yesterday or for eating a cookie when you promised not to have dessert for a month, or whatever your goals were. The truth is, no matter how much effort we put in, we sooner or later discover that we aren’t perfect. Whatever the law, the rules, or the self-imposed controls we set, we end up realizing we have weaknesses.

My regular readers know that I choose a handful of scriptures at the start of each year to memorize and reflect on during my daily prayers. One of my new verses is from Romans 8:26-27:

“Likewise, the 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. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

I predict this verse will come in handy for you this year, especially when you’re struggling with a work problem, a relationship issue, a health concern, or simply feeling fatigued. God promises that the Holy Spirit will help us in our weakness. He knew long before this year began that we would have weaknesses, and not only did he put a plan in place to help us, he gave us the Holy Spirit to minister to us and pray on our behalf.

Sometimes, things get so difficult and come at us so fast that we struggle to organize our thoughts or our prayers. I had a few days just last month where I faced multiple deadlines, tough decisions, and a serious energy drain—right in the middle of the holidays. During my regular prayer time, I had trouble even figuring out how to word my prayers. That’s when this verse in Romans reminded me that God already knew what I needed and had already provided a way for me to be helped.

Earlier in Romans 8, Paul teaches us that “the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us!” The very same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, praying for us, even when we can’t find the words to express what we need. Paul reminds us that we are God’s children, his sons and daughters, and that his Spirit allows us to cry out simply, “Abba! Father!” We don’t need a big vocabulary or a clear head when we pray. Our loving Father is always near, ready to listen whenever we call his name.

Things are never perfect here on earth. Jesus told us that in this world, we would have many troubles. But God is working his final plan to renew and restore us—and all of creation. So, we pray, we wait, and we have hope in a future that is better than anything we can imagine. As we enter this new year, let’s try not to get overwhelmed when things don’t go according to plan. We may not see it now, but the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead might be about to move into our situation and bring about the best possible outcome.

Father, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Thank you for knowing us so well that we can simply cry out in our times of need, confident that you will hear us and respond. Today, we lean on your promises to go ahead of us, to work in and around us, and to follow us all the days of our lives, until we dwell with you forever. In Jesus’ name, amen.