Groaning in Prayer

Lord, teach me to groan...
     Forgive my shallow groans and my half-heartedness
     Forgive my groans at the loss of my misplaced joys
     When I don't understand your Sovereign ways
            and kick against the goad
      Forgive my groan.
      Let me groan for my sins and not comfort them
      May I groan for obedience.

Lord, teach me to groan
     for the widow and the orphan
     for the dying and the sick
     for the rebel and the fool
     for injustice and oppression,
          hatred and anger.
     Let me groan for those I love whose bent is toward destruction
          and have no appetite for grace.
     Let me groan for worry and fear,
          sickness and rebellion and hopelessness.

Lord, teach me to groan
     Let me groan with longing for the day of rescue
          for the day of reunion
          for the removal of sin and pain and death
                 the old order of things.
     Let me groan for tears finally wiped away
          for the cure of pain
          and the arrival of the life that is truly life-
               the peace of Your Presence forever.

Lord, teach me to groan until the final day.
I will stop groaning when I see Your face.