Reflecting on Helen Keller, Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 13, Eric Varden, and the Work of the Spirit
In Reformed evangelical circles, we live and breathe words. We thrive on preaching, propositional revelation, doctrine, and theology. But if we’re honest, there’s often a gap—an unspoken tension between our love of words and our struggle with prayer, silence, and emotional depth. We’re good at speaking and teaching, yet light on prayer, silence, and contemplation. As a society, and particularly in our Presbyterian traditions, we don’t handle aloneness well. We don’t do silence well. Yet, the truth is, God often speaks loudest in the silence, in the places where words fail and all that’s left is the deep groaning of our hearts.
Lately, I’ve found myself reflecting on these things, especially through insights drawn from BioLogos’ episode on Helen Keller and Eric Varden’s The Shattering of Loneliness, a book we’ve explored in our ‘Deeper Conversations’ group at St. George’s Anglican in Battery Point. These reflections have connected powerfully with my own journey of prayer and silence, where I’ve lived through seasons of deep trauma, grief, and post-traumatic stress, unable to pray in any conventional sense. But the Scriptures offer hope here—especially Romans 8:26-30 and 1 Corinthians 13:9-12—which remind us that even when our words fail, the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. In that intercession, we find a truth that transcends our limited knowledge and points us toward the fullness of God’s revelation to come.
The Spirit's Groaning: When Words Fail in Prayer
Romans 8:26-30 touches on something profound, something deeply resonant in the human experience of prayer: “And, likewise also, the Spirit helps our weaknesses; for what we might pray for, as it is necessary, we have not known, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings unutterable.”
Paul’s words reveal a truth about our limitations, particularly in prayer. We don’t always know what to ask for, or how to pray, and often our prayers feel inadequate. But it’s here, at the very point of our weakness, that the Spirit steps in. The Spirit groans on our behalf, taking the longings of our hearts, those inexpressible desires, and transforming them into prayers that align with the will of God. This is where I find comfort—especially as I reflect on my own spiritual journey.
In the aftermath of trauma, grief, and intense psychological stress, I found myself in a place where words were not just insufficient—they were impossible. For two years, I was unable to read the Bible. I couldn’t pray in any structured or coherent way. All I could do was direct my longings to God. At first, my prayers were as simple as “God, I can’t pray.” Then, over time, they grew into “help,” followed by “Lord, you know,” “Lord, you are God,” and finally, “Lord, I am yours.” My heart was like a tight knot that no amount of effort could untangle. But as time passed, the Spirit did the work—unravelling that knot, turning my silent longings into something coherent before God.
Helen Keller: A Living Parable of Pre-Linguistic Longing
Helen Keller’s life provides a living parable for understanding the limits of human expression and the promise of something more. Before Keller learned language, she lived in a world of sensation—her experience was real, but fragmented. Without language, she was like a child, grasping at the world but unable to connect her feelings and desires to any coherent expression. This mirrors Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:11: “When I was a child, I was speaking as a child, I was thinking as a child, I was reasoning as a child; and when I became a man, I have made useless the things of the child.”
Before language, Keller’s experience was much like this metaphorical childhood. She lived, felt, and longed, but she lacked the structure to make sense of it all. Language came to her like a revelation, a key that unlocked her inner world and brought her fragmented experiences into focus. This is akin to the journey of moving from general to special revelation. General revelation—the experience of God’s creation, His majesty, and His power—is beautiful, but incomplete. It’s like Keller’s pre-linguistic experience: real, but lacking full clarity. Special revelation—the Word of God, the person of Jesus Christ—provides the language to make sense of God’s nature, His will, and His plan of redemption. But even this, Paul reminds us, is still partial: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; and when that which is perfect may come, then that which is in part will become useless.” (1 Corinthians 13:9-10)
From Childlike Knowing to the Fullness of Revelation
Paul’s metaphor of childhood and adulthood highlights the transition we all experience as we grow in our understanding of God. Just as Keller moved from the fragmented world of pre-linguistic sensation to the clarity of language, we too move from the partial knowledge of general revelation to the deeper understanding offered by special revelation. But even this is still incomplete. Paul writes, “For we see now through a mirror obscurely, and then face to face; now I know in part, and then I will fully know, as I was also known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
Here, Keller’s journey becomes a powerful metaphor for our spiritual lives. Before she learned language, Keller’s experience was obscured, like seeing through a dim mirror. Language gave her clarity, but even with language, she reflected on the limits of what words could express. Likewise, even with the gift of God’s Word, we still see only in part. We grasp at the edges of God’s revelation, but we don’t yet see Him fully. We live in a world where prophecy, knowledge, and tongues—while valuable—are only temporary. They are the tools we use in the here and now, but when “the perfect” comes, when we see God face to face, these partial things will pass away.
It’s this future hope that Paul points us toward—the day when we will see clearly, when the partial will give way to the full, and when our knowledge of God will be as complete as His knowledge of us. “Now I know in part, and then I will fully know, as I was also known.” This is the ultimate promise: that one day, our fragmented understanding, our incomplete prayers, our groanings will give way to the fullness of God’s glory. We will know Him fully, just as we are already fully known by Him.
Silence, Aloneness, and the Shattering of Loneliness
This journey from partial to full knowledge, from childhood to maturity, from groaning to glory, is not just about intellectual understanding—it’s deeply tied to the emotional and spiritual journey of silence and aloneness. In The Shattering of Loneliness, Eric Varden speaks about how loneliness can become a place of encounter with God. Loneliness, silence, and aloneness are things we often avoid. We want to fill the void with noise, with words, with activity. But Varden challenges us to see that in this silence, in this aloneness, God is present. It’s in the quiet moments, in the wordless groanings of our hearts, that God meets us most intimately.
This resonates deeply with my own experience, and it’s a key theme in our ‘Deeper Conversations’ group at St. George’s Anglican. These sessions have been transformative in helping me and others confront the reality of loneliness—not as something to run from, but as a space where God’s presence can be most deeply felt. Like Keller, whose life was marked by profound silence before language, we are invited into a space where silence becomes a form of prayer, where the Spirit intercedes for us, and where our deepest longings are met by God’s loving presence.
General Revelation: Like Children in a Pre-Speech World
Before Keller learned language, her world was filled with sensation but lacked structure—a reflection of what Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13 as knowing “in part.” This is analogous to our experience of general revelation. Creation speaks of God’s power and glory, but it doesn’t tell us everything. It’s beautiful, but incomplete. It’s like the experience of a child before they can speak—alive, aware, but unable to fully express or understand.
Special revelation, like Keller’s discovery of language, gives us the tools to understand God more deeply. Through Scripture and the person of Christ, we move from childlike understanding to maturity. But even with this, we still “see through a mirror obscurely.” Our knowledge is still in part, and we are waiting for the day when we will see God face to face, when our fragmented understanding will give way to the fullness of His glory.
Looking Forward to Wholeness: Seeing Face to Face
Paul’s reflection in 1 Corinthians 13 ultimately points us forward—to the day when the partial will be made whole when prophecy, tongues, and knowledge will pass away because we will no longer need them. We will see God face to face, and we will know Him fully, even as He has always fully known us.
This is the hope that sustains us in the silence, in the groanings of our hearts. Just as Keller moved from pre-linguistic sensation to the clarity of language, we too are moving from partial knowledge to the full revelation of God. But until that day comes, we live in the tension of knowing in part, of praying with groanings too deep for words, trusting that the Spirit is at work within us, interceding on our behalf.
Embracing Silence, Longing, and the Mystery of God
As I reflect on the journey of my own soul—through trauma, grief, silence, and wordless prayer—and on the story of Helen Keller, I am reminded that we live in the tension of the already and the not-yet. We live between general and special revelation, between childlike knowing and the fullness of God’s truth, between groaning and glory. But in this tension, the Spirit is present, interceding for us, turning our silence into prayers that reach the heart of God.
We may know in part now, but one day we will know fully. We may groan in silence now, but one day those groanings will give way to joy. Until that day, we rest in the knowledge that we are fully known by a God who loves us, who hears us, and who is making all things new.
Acknowledgements and References
In the creation of this article, I have drawn from a range of resources and personal reflections that have deeply shaped my understanding of prayer, silence, and the limits of human knowledge. To begin, I must acknowledge that both non-generative and generative AI were employed in the writing and editing of this article. These tools have provided assistance in refining the structure and language, but the content, ideas, and theological reflections are entirely my own—rooted in my personal experiences, beliefs, and studies.
Additionally, this article has been influenced by several significant works, which I want to highlight as integral to the development of these thoughts:
The Bible (Literal Standard Version): All Scripture quotations are taken from the Literal Standard Version, which provides a direct and faithful rendering of the original biblical texts. Passages from Romans 8:26-30 and 1 Corinthians 13:9-12 were central to my reflections on the limits of human knowledge and the intercessory work of the Holy Spirit.
BioLogos Episode on Helen Keller: The reflections on Helen Keller’s journey and the metaphorical connection to spiritual knowledge came directly from an episode by BioLogos, which explores Keller’s life through a theological and scientific lens. This episode helped me frame Keller’s experiences as a way of understanding the move from general revelation (the fragmented, pre-linguistic experience) to special revelation (the clarity brought by God’s Word).
Eric Varden’s The Shattering of Loneliness: Varden’s profound work on loneliness has been a crucial resource in understanding the role of silence, aloneness, and solitude in the spiritual life. His reflections on how loneliness can be shattered by the presence of God and how silence can lead to deeper communion were instrumental, especially as discussed within the context of our 'Deeper Conversations' group at St. George’s Anglican in Battery Point.
Lectio365 Devotional: Today’s devotional on Lectio365 (5 October 2024) entitled The Mind of the Spirit has also shaped my reflections. This particular episode focused on Romans 8, the Spirit’s intercession, and our struggle to find the right words in prayer. It reinforced the truth that even in our weaknesses, when we don’t know how to pray, the Spirit prays for us, and this devotional helped me further connect with the theme of wordless prayer and the groaning of the Spirit. You can access this episode here: Lectio 365 - October 5, 2024.
The Literal Standard Version of the Bible: All biblical citations in this article are drawn from the LSV, known for its precision and faithfulness to the original languages, providing a clear and reliable foundation for theological reflection.
Bibliography
- BioLogos. Helen Keller Episode. BioLogos Foundation. [Online episode].
- Eric Varden. The Shattering of Loneliness. Bloomsbury Continuum, 2018.
- Lectio365. The Mind of the Spirit: Devotional for 5 October 2024. 24-7 Prayer International. [Online devotional]. Available at: Lectio 365.
- Literal Standard Version of the Bible. Covenant Press, 2020. [Scriptural references: Romans 8:26-30; 1 Corinthians 13:9-12].
These resources, alongside the personal experiences and spiritual journey I have recounted in this article, have been instrumental in shaping my reflections on the nature of prayer, silence, and the work of the Holy Spirit. I encourage readers to explore these works further as they bring invaluable insights into understanding the deeper mysteries of our relationship with God, the limitations of human knowledge, and the ongoing intercession of the Spirit.
Acknowledgements
I've used ChatGPT to assist in creating and editing this article; however, all insights, arguments, and original content presented here are wholly my own.
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