In my earlier years I would often hear ministers who were called to the stand to preach let out deep groans of seeming distress. Perhaps the groans that were emitted under those circumstances were sometimes tinged with a measure of hypocrisy, or with an unconscious appeal for sympathy, (I cannot say), but I do not doubt that most of those old brethren groaned because they felt a great burden in their souls. If my own experience bears any resemblance to theirs, they groaned under a felt sense of their own inadequacy for such a solemn and weighty duty as is the proclamation of the gospel. And in conjunction with this keen awareness of their own weakness and insufficiency, they also sometimes felt a measure of inner fleshly rebellion against, or at least a strong dread of, preaching on the particular subject God had laid on their heart to deliver. I would describe some of these feelings and subsequent groans as being unutterable. 

    Have you not sometimes desired to pray and yet the feelings you wanted to express came forth from your breast more in the form of groans than words? The fact of the matter is that a human vocabulary often greatly limits us so far as being able to communicate audibly what we feel inwardly. There is indeed such a thing as "groanings which cannot be uttered;" not just groanings that we refuse to utter, or are remiss to utter, but groanings that we simply cannot put into words. I recall that on one occasion the apostle Paul was "caught up to the third heaven...and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (II Cor. 12:2-4). In the center column of marginal Bibles you will find that the translators have given an alternate reading:--- "words, which it is not possible for a man to utter." So we see that there were some things that even the inspired apostle could not utter or express. 

    I am thankful that the Lord knows my innermost thoughts and feelings. I am glad that those deep and sincere supplications that have a place in my heart but cannot find a place upon my lips are all clearly understood by Him. The words of our Lord in Isaiah 65:24 seem very appropriate here: And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." In His intercession for us He can even take our groans of emotion and present them to the Father as prayers. "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift" (II Cor. 9:15).