“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.” -Romans 8:26
Though we believers must rely on the Spirit of God for the fullness of adoption as sons—that is, the full realization of our redemption—by persevering in our present condition, we are not left without help. The same Spirit of God also helps us in our weakness. He helps us by interceding for us in prayer.
Often we struggle not knowing exactly how to pray, or what to pray for. But the Spirit intercedes on our behalf with (internal) groanings too deep for words. The Greek word for groaning means an involuntary expression of great concern, like a sigh.
Interestingly, Paul is clearly making a connection between ideas by using the word groanings for something that creation does, something humans do, and also something the Spirit does. The groaning that creation and humans make are similar to each other in that they are related to the burden of the curse upon us. However, the groaning of the Spirit is quite the opposite. His groaning is the groaning of intercession on our behalf.
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