There are times in a believer’s life when the pain is so deep, the exhaustion so complete, or the confusion so thick that words simply won’t come. You open your mouth to pray, but nothing comes out.
In these moments, you may feel guilty or distant from God, but the truth is, this is when you may be closest to His heart.
The Holy Spirit understands your wordless groans. Romans 8:26-27 tells us “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… according to the will of God.”
When you can’t pray, it’s okay to be still. You don’t have to perform for God. Simply sit in His presence and let your tears, your silence, or your sighs be your prayer. God can decipher the language of a broken heart.
You can also lean on the prayers of others. Let your church family or friends carry you in prayer. This is the beauty of the Body of Christ. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Your faith, combined with the faith of others, can sustain you.
Another powerful thing to do when you have no words is to pray the Scriptures. Open the Psalms and pray them back to God.
When David felt abandoned, he prayed Psalm 13. When he felt afraid, he prayed Psalm 23. These are God’s own words, and they are always a perfect prayer. This practice does two things: it gives you a voice when you are mute, and it aligns your heart with God’s truth.
