Romans 8:26-30

26 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. 27 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. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

A friend of my mine was once far from the Lord; let’s call her Grace. She had spent her freshman year of college making poor decisions and she found herself far from Christ. It took several months, but she eventually allowed the conviction of the Holy Spirit to draw her back to Him. She decided to rededicate her life to God, leading her to leave that school and begin attending a Christian college closer to home. Years later, Grace’s sister––we’ll call her Katherine––told her that while Grace was away at school, following her own path, Katherine prayed for her daily. Katherine took passages of Scripture and would insert Grace’s name in certain areas, crying out to the Lord on Grace’s behalf. What a powerful act of intervention!

On a far grander scale, this is what the Holy Spirit does for us. Like Grace, when we find ourselves in sin, pulling away from God, the Holy Spirit convicts us––seeking to draw us close to our Savior. Romans 8 tells us the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness; He joins us in the midst of trials to provide comfort, strength, and guidance even when we don’t have the words to say; He turns our wordless cry into prayer beyond words, acting as an advocate, an intercessor, on our behalf. When we can’t pray for ourselves, when we can’t see a way out of sin, He goes before the Holy God pleading our case. The Holy Spirit is actively involved in bringing us closer to God’s will.

God uses everything––both the good and the bad––to shape us into His image. We are all part of the eternal purpose He set into motion before time began. We are not random accidents, but intentional creations, called to reflect Christ’s image. And whether, like Grace, we’ve taken a harder path on our faith journey, or like Katherine, we’ve gone before the Lord in prayer for loved ones, God’s purpose is clear: He is transforming us daily to be more like Jesus.

Follow the SHINE Time devotional tool to dive deeper into today’s scripture!

Seek the Lord in prayer.

Highlight a characteristic of God.

Identify a truth about yourself or people.

Notice what the Holy Spirit is communicating to you.

Engage in the next action step. Think of a way to respond in obedience to what God has revealed to you today.