Do you ever feel a bit shaky when you’re “up at bat” in life?

Sometimes we face daunting challenges, and don’t feel we’re capable of facing them on our own. We feel like we need a bit of help, someone who can take over for us when we’re at our weakest.

Someone like a Pinch Hitter.

In baseball, a pinch hitter acts as substitute who bats for a teammate. The pinch hitter might step in because the original player is injured, or when the one next up at bat is a less effective hitter, such as when a pitcher is worn out after six or seven innings pitching.

The manager might decide that the substitute has a better chance of helping their team to score, or may send in the pinch hitter to execute a specific play. In many cases, the pinch hitter will be called upon at a critical moment in the game.

Sounds like a handy person to have around, doesn’t it?

Did you know that believers have a heavenly “pinch hitter”?

This teammate who comes to your aid is the Holy Spirit Himself.

Scripture tells us that the third person of the Trinity has a special role on behalf of believers. He intercedes for us, or “goes to bat” for us, if you will.

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” (Romans 8:26)

Sometimes we get so weak and weary after enduring one inning after another that our prayers are jumbled and confused. In these cases, the Holy Spirit steps in. He amplifies, enhances and refines our prayers so that they’re more effective.

At other times we may be faltering due to some error on our own part. In our prayers we might be asking amiss. Again, the Holy Spirit acts as our substitute, fine-tuning, adjusting and course-correcting our prayers.

We may find ourselves in an emergency, at a critical moment in our lives. The whole game may be at stake. We’re desperate, but feel so defeated already that we’re at a loss about what to pray. The Holy Spirit pinch hits for us, pleading to God on our behalf when we can’t find the words.

Our “manager,” God, knows just when to send the Holy Spirit to help us out. He never leaves us alone, trying to muddle through the difficulties of life by ourselves. Even our prayers don’t have to be a “one-man job”: they’re a joint effort by us and the Holy Spirit.

With the Holy Spirit pinch hitting for us, the game is never lost, no matter how lop-sided the score may appear. God knows how to turn things around and give us the victory, working all things together for our good.

Isn’t it good to know that we’re not alone when we’re up at bat?

At the right moment in the game, God has the Holy Spirit take the bat from us and say, “Don’t worry, kid, I’ve got this.”

With your heavenly pinch hitter helping you, don’t be surprised if you see some home runs being notched up on your scoreboard. The Holy Spirit is nothing if not a heavy hitter!

© 2021 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.