Here, There, Everywhere … Pain-filled Groanings
Thousands are dying every day, and with each death, there is a community of family and friends deeply grieving and silently groaning. It is difficult for me to fully fathom the immensity and depth of pain being felt among us as a church community and nation, let alone trying to imagine the worldwide experience of pain. We ask, why all this groaning and pain?
The first chapters of Genesis tell us the story of God creating our earth with all its creatures and then us. We are told that “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” But then in chapter three we are told the sad story of humanity’s disobedience and the breaking of a good relationship with God.
And from that broken relationship between the created and the Creator flows all the pain-filled groanings of our present world. The harmony of creation and humanity with its Creator is broken, and this dramatically changes the relationship of God with his good creation.
In his book, “Soli Deo Gloria, A Daily Walk Through Romans” Myron Augsburger states that “The world was designed for human life, in God’s good creation, and when humanity rebelled against God, to have its own, the whole world suffered the consequences.” (p.189).
And according to the apostle Paul, the groanings of humanity and all creation are the painful expressions of a frustrated longing for God’s deliverance from the miserable sufferings of this life. “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 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.” (Romans 8:19-24).
Just as all creation, humankind, animals, plants, and the earth itself was harmed by humanity’s sinful disobedience, so also will all share in the blessings of redemption and restoration that God has promised his people. “For in this hope we were saved.”
If we believe this, then our groanings become expressions of our redemptive hope, which is based on the sure confidence that God’s promise of restoring us with all of creation to its full harmony and wholeness, is now happening and will one day be fully completed.
Furthermore, Paul reassures us that we do not groan and suffer alone. “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. … the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27).
What a marvelous comfort. We are not alone. God’s Spirit prays for us, interceding in our behalf. Because I cannot fully know or express my feelings, the Spirit intercedes for me with “wordless groans” according to the will of God.
And so, I can choose to groan and lament as a way of deepening my relationship with God rather than silently enduring the pain and slowly grow bitter in spirit.
Furthermore, we are assured that God’s hears our groanings. Isaiah 63:7-9 speaks of God’s relationship with his people, and says, “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” Thanks be to God!
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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 9/24/25
Healing Rays of Righteousness 