Our passage today comes from a section in Romans where Paul talks about life in the Holy Spirit. He tells us that we live in the between times, when God’s work of redemption for all of creation has begun but is not yet complete. Using the analogy of childbirth, Paul helps us understand that the pain that we as Christians continue to experience will not last forever. Instead, the Holy Spirit works through this pain to bring about new life.

Paul reminds us that as Christians we have the Holy Spirit within us. I often think we forget that fact. When we are tempted to feel alone and afraid, we need to remember that the Holy Spirit truly lives within us, giving us the power to face whatever life throws our way and to let the light of Jesus Christ shine through us in the process. Paul says that the Holy Spirit’s presence serves as a foretaste of the glory that awaits us, acting as a sign which points to our redemption as God’s children and the promises of that fulfillment. In other words, we are not yet who God created us to be, either as individuals or as a community of faith. But, the Holy Spirit continues to shape and mold us to be who God created us to be. As Methodists, we call this “Sanctifying Grace,” a grace of God at work in us perfecting us to be more holy. We understand holiness as perfect love of God and perfect love of neighbor, and we believe it is a process that takes our whole life long.

So, how do we participate in this process? Paul answers that we are to wait patiently and confidently. But, this waiting is not a passive process but an active participation in God’s work in our lives through prayer. Our key verse tells us that although we often don't know what to pray for or how to pray, the Holy Spirit prays for us with “sighs too deep for words.” Because the Holy Spirit knows our hearts and knows God’s will, this silent prayer can bring those two together.

Maybe you have tried silent prayer and it doesn’t seem to work for you. It may be that you are expecting it to work in a certain way, when in reality it is God’s work in you. You may not experience anything profound in the time of silence itself, but if you practice silence, you will begin to see the fruit of it in your life. Your life will feel less fragmented and more integrated. Also remember that it takes practice. Since we don’t have silence very often, we cannot expect to be comfortable with it right away. Besides, the Holy Spirit works much like a river smoothing rocks. The Holy Spirit doesn’t hammer away at us, but instead washes us constantly with God’s love to smooth out our rough edges slowly over time.

Maybe you have tried silence and you tend to get distracted. Several practices can help with distractions. You can practice silence with a notebook at hand. When something comes to mind to distract you (such as, I need to pick up milk at the store today), write it down and let it go. Or, some people recommend imagining that the distractions are like little pieces of wood floating down a river. Instead of picking them up and examining them, you can notice them and let them drift on by. Or, it may be that God is speaking to you in the distractions. You can test this by naming the distraction before God and imaging putting it in God’s hands. If God’s hands close, let it go, but if God invites you to take a closer look, follow God’s leading. Remember, the Holy Spirit prays within you when you pray in silence. So, trust that guidance that the Holy Spirit is giving you.

Other tools for praying in silence include a breath prayer, where you focus on taking deep, relaxing breaths and imagine the Holy Spirit filling your entire body as the oxygen fills your lungs. Or you can use a phrase to repeat and concentrate on, either a passage of scripture, or a name for God, or a desire that you have. As you repeat it over and over, the Holy Spirit works within you. You can absorb the light and warmth of the sun as a symbol for absorbing God’s love. Or you can look at a candle or a picture of Jesus to concentrate your mind and keep out distractions as you listen for the voice of Jesus. Above all, trust that the Holy Spirit prays for you and enables you to hear the word of God in this silence.

1—When do you experience silence in your life? Is it a positive or a negative or a frightening experience? How can you let the Holy Spirit transform those moments of silence into a prayer of listening for God’s voice?

2—Have you ever tried silent prayer? What was that experience like for you? How can trusting the Holy Spirit pray in you and through you change those experiences?

3—Do you long to know Jesus? Do you long to hear God’s voice and know the depth of God’s love for you? How can resting in God in silent prayer answer these longings?

4—How did the Holy Spirit speak to you in worship today?