Our daughter was born deaf. When she was two years old, we had her hearing tested by an audiologist and were told that she was profoundly deaf. Hearing disability may be ranked as mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe, or profound. As a young child, our daughter wore her hearing aids, but when she became a teenager, she stopped wearing them as they were of no benefit to her. A person who is profoundly deaf is unable to understand speech even in the presence of amplification. That person may also be unable to speak clearly so as to be understood.

Shortly after she was diagnosed as profoundly deaf, my husband, our son (who was three years older than she was), and I began to learn sign language so that we could communicate with her. Before sign language, she was very frustrated as she didn't have the words to express herself. Now that she is an adult, she, at times, needs an interpreter to convey what she wants to say or to understand what is being said to her, for example at doctors' appointments or workshops.

Oftentimes, we Christians may find ourselves frustrated and without words to communicate with God, to tell Him how we feel or what is deep in our hearts. Sometimes, all we can think of to say is "Help!" Have you ever experienced this? Other times, we worry about what to say, or we try to use fancy words and phrases. God doesn't care about the words we use. In fact, the Bible tells us that the Spirit helps us in our weakness, praying with and for us.

Romans 8:26-27 – Likewise the Spirit also helps us 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. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (NKJV)

God wants us to pray to Him and has not left us in our weakness but has provided a way for us to communicate with Him even when we don't know how to express ourselves — His Holy Spirit makes intercession for us and God knows what we are trying to say.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You that You have not left us without a way to come to You to express our deepest desires and concerns. Keep us from being deaf to Your voice calling us to follow You and to be more like Your Son Jesus in all that we say and do. In His name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Dee Renaud <dee.renaud@outlook.com>
Sauble Beach, Ontario, Canada
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