Groans

According to the dictionary, to groan is to make a deep inarticulate sound in response to pain or despair. According to my experience, I concur. A groan is an explosion of meaning without any words. To groan is to make a claim of great pain, to express great bewilderment, to signify hopelessness. To hear a groan is to be haunted by a powerful expression of fear, despair, and grief. A groan cries for help, while hinting that none will be forthcoming.

In Israel’s history there are three events (time periods) where groans play an important role: the slavery in Egypt shortly before the Exodus, the time of the Judges when people did what was right in their own eyes (rather than obeying God’s law), and the Babylonian exile when Israel faced the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple, and their identity as God’s chosen people. When Israel had nothing more to say than could be expressed in their groans, God heard those groans and responded eloquently.

During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them. (Exodus 2:23-25)

In the New Testament it is the apostle Paul who gives us a “theology of groaning.” It is quite ironic that Paul is the one who does this work about groans, because before he believed in Jesus, he was actively seeking out and persecuting Christians, causing them to utter groans in response to his gruesome work. Then, after meeting Jesus face to face, Paul is told that he will be shown how much he must suffer for the sake of Jesus; in other words, Paul would learn to groan because of his faith.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.  (Romans 8:22-27)

Paul points out that it is not just humans who groan, but the whole creation – as in the pains of childbirth. Creation is not yet what God envisioned it to become, there is growth to achieve, there is new life to come. And Paul says that disciples of Jesus bear this “groaning while waiting” as a natural part of our spiritual development. Everyone who has followed Jesus very long has experienced the truth of this passage. Yet, surprisingly, Paul identifies one more groaning helper – the Holy Spirit! The Spirit takes our groans and presents them to Abba Father – translated and full of meaning.

If all you have right now is groaning, you are in good company. Creation itself, along with the Spirit, joins you in a trinity of groaning that is sure to be heard – and blessed – by our loving Father. When we groan, God responds. Help is on the way…