God listens to our sighs

Saturday 22 May 2021

Collect my tears in your bottle : are they not written in your book? (Psalm 56. 9)

Likewise, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness. Indeed, we do not know what to ask in our prayers, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs that words cannot express. (Romans 8:26)

God listens to our sighs

The Bible tells us that God listens to the cry of those who suffer : “When a poor man cries, the Lord hears and saves him from all his troubles” (Psalm 34. 7). God listens to prayer (Psalm 65. 2), as also the sighs of his children. His listening is not distant. He had Isaiah say to King Hezekiah with a serious illness : “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. I will heal you” (2 Kings 20. 5).

Sometimes a believer is so disheartened that he or she can no longer pray. But the Holy Spirit who dwells in him presents his real needs to God with “inexpressible sighs” linked to his weakness. This intercession of the Spirit takes over from his failing spirit to bring him peace and make him trust again in the love and faithfulness of God.

The sighs of our hearts are also prayers

As good, I think, and maybe better,

Whether our renouncements or our stammerings,

Or our well-spoken and more or less sincere sentences.

The sighs of our hearts are also prayers

Much better, often, than our poor words.

The tears of our hearts are also prayers

Which, much better than words, rise to the light !

Thank you, Lord, thank you for wanting to collect

These outbursts of our hearts that your love enlightens.

(after Élie Abel)

Source (The Good Seed)