Come as You AreSample

Walk with me, Holy Spirit.

“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.” (Romans 8:26-27, NIV)

You know, sometimes we feel like we're in this dry and distant place from God when we pray. We're searching for God, but He seems far away. Teresa of Avila, a 16th-century nun, spent eighteen fruitless years seeking God until she finally discovered that Christ was within her when she read Colossians 1:27, "Christ in you, the hope of glory."

That's right! God is in us, always and forever. He's never far away, and He never leaves us hanging.

Look at King David's prayers in the book of Psalms. They're real, raw, and honest. David spills out his emotions—whether he's angry, stressed, depressed, oppressed, or fearful. Yet, through it all, he clings to God, putting his hope and trust in Him. One thing you'll notice about David is that he always loves and yearns for the presence of God, no matter what he's going through. Check out these Psalms:

Psalm 63:1-3: "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you."

Psalm 139:7-8: "Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!"

Psalm 27:4: "One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple."

Psalm 23:6b: "... and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

David is always aware of the presence of God, and it reminds me of Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite monk from the 17th century. He wrote a classic book called "The Practice of the Presence of God," in there he wrote, "He does not ask much of us, merely a thought of Him from time to time, a little act of adoration, sometimes to ask for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, at other times to thank Him for the graces, past and present, He has bestowed on you, in the midst of your troubles to take solace in Him as often as you can. Lift up your heart to Him during your meals and in company; the least little remembrance will always be the most pleasing to Him. One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us than we think."

Prayer is not just a ritual we perform. If we treat it as a mere task on our checklist, it loses its meaning. Prayer is not dependent on our circumstances or feelings. Prayer depends on God’s compassion that always looks to us with a longing heart.

Prayer is as simple as being in His presence, just a thought of Him or a surrendered heart to the Holy Spirit. As in Romans 8:26, even when we "do not know what to pray for," and all that comes out are unspoken groans, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.

Prayer is being in tune with God's presence, walking hand in hand with the Holy Spirit, and having heart-to-heart conversations with our heavenly Father. It's not about fancy words or grand prayer performances; it's about groaning in our hearts to God—that's our prayer.

May we yield our hearts and let the Holy Spirit lead us every single day, keeping in step with Him.