Q&A: Why do I pray with tears?

Question: Why do I pray with tears? There aren't any words that come out and I just cry and cry. Is there any other way to pray?

Answer: This is a type of prayer that many call "travail." And it is actually a blessing to be able to pray in that state.

It is something that is talked about in Romans 8.26 which mentions "groanings that cannot be expressed in words." Often, the only thing we can do is weep and groan in our spirits. Our mouths and minds can't really find words to say or express the things we desire to pray. Basically, it means that we are tapping into the heart of God when we pray and the Holy Spirit is praying through us.

It can also mean that the matter for which we pray is very close and dear to our hearts and brings about deep, deep emotion.

Often, those who have the calling or anointing of intercessory prayer upon their lives will often be found praying through things in this way. One way to look at travail type prayers as though we are giving birth to something in the spirit. This type of prayer can be very exhausting and really, you do feel like you've given birth to something by the end of it.

There are some scriptures that also talk about our tears and how precious they are to God. Those can be found here in: 

Psalms 56.8 

2 Kings 20.5 

Psalm 126.5 

Jeremiah 14.17 and many others.

Doing a word search on Biblegateway.com or another similar resource is a good way to see all of the verses that mention the key word "tears" or "groaning."

The following link has a great definition and some more scripture references that will be helpful to understanding "travail" prayers.

Link: Prayer that Brings Birth by James Goll a well known and respected teacher of the Word