He meets me there

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

I remember the first time I felt the presence of the Lord—and I mean really, truly experienced Him as Comforter and knew in the depths of my soul that He was there in the room with me. It was the darkest night of my life, because earlier in the day I had learned that I was the focus of my husband’s death investigation. My school district had no choice but to send me home until things were resolved, and I knew I would not be allowed to come back to work for the remainder of the school year. So in addition to the heart-wrenching grief that came from the kind of loss I had suffered, I was now faced with the possibility of going to prison for a crime I did not commit. I was terrified for myself, and even more so for my kids. This was one of those points we come to in life in which there truly are no words to articulate the kind of prayer that needs to be prayed.

But in my anguish I remembered the Bible telling me that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in times like these with groanings that cannot be uttered. That was what I needed that night—prayer much deeper than mere words—so I began to claim that scripture. Alone in my dad’s little study, the pitiful mess that I was, I began to cry out to God and beg the Holy Spirit to intercede for me. I begged.  I’ll never forget what He did. He came and met me there in that little room, right in that very moment. I felt Him literally cover my entire body, from head to toe. I didn’t need to see Him or hear Him. He was just there, and I sensed His presence to the depths of my being. It was really the first time I ever knew Him as Comforter, and I can’t describe the peace I experienced in His presence on that awful, awful night. The next morning I was amazed by phone calls we received from loved ones who knew nothing of our latest news, yet had been burdened to pray for me through the night. I’m thankful they were obedient, even though they didn’t know the full extent of the reason they were praying. That’s how the Holy Spirit works. He comforts me, He intercedes for me, and He burdens others to intercede for me.

There have been many such times since that experience. I know my family and friends love me, but there are simply times when no one understands because no one else is walking in my shoes. When I am in my most heartsick state of despair and there is nothing to do but weep and I feel utterly alone in the world, the Holy Spirit meets me there and comforts me. He reminds me that I am never, ever alone. And He continues to burden others to pray for me in those times when I desperately need prayer the most. He never ceases to amaze me. That’s why I take it to heart when I am burdened to pray for someone else, or maybe a name comes to mind and I just can’t let go of it. We never know what someone else is going through, and I am honored that He would choose me to make intercession for someone who needs it.

He always meets me there in those moments when I desperately need comfort, and He’ll meet you there, too.


Lord, thank you for making a way for us to experience Your presence through the gift of your precious Holy Spirit. Thank You that You intercede for me, and thank You that You burden others to make intercession for me. Help me to live my life in a way that never quenches Your Spirit, but rather extends to You an open invitation to make Yourself real and present to me every day.