Rom 8:26; Eph 3:20 ...for those who cannot think

At different times we all face circumstances of anguish, confusion or pain when we simply don't know what to pray. In such times, whether for myself or others, I've frequently fallen back on the promise of Romans 8:26:

"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words." (New Living Translation, 2015)

That's not a promise just for those going through difficulty and hardship. The context describes the hope, confidence and patience of Christians... how that we cannot be separated from the love of Christ. However, even when everything is great and brimming with success, this verse says, "we don't know how to pray as we should." (NASB95) Yet our imperfection in praying shouldn't stop us from praying.

Ephesians 3:20 describes the suprahuman aspects of prayer, that belongs only to God:
"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." (Ephesians 3:20, NLT)

Ironically, Paul is using words to describe what goes beyond words. Yet even the illiterate members of the Ephesian church could understand his letter when someone else read it to them.

This doesn't promise that if we at least attempt to "think big" in our prayers, that God honors our thinking by just taking it a step further. He does infinitely more than we ask. Infinity goes beyond time and space. Furthermore, we can never "think big" enough in the first place.

Consider infants or toddlers who cannot yet think, per se. Or dementia patients who have forgotten how to think. God is able to accomplish infinitely more than anyone can think--even for those who cannot think at all.

Father in heaven,
We freely acknowledge that You have said,
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts... And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NLT)
Help us to understand You better, even while we lean ourselves on Your merciful care that goes beyond anything we can comprehend or explain. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.