“I’ll pray for you…”
The other day, after a rather difficult meeting with a friend I parted with the words “I’ll pray for you”.
It got me to thinking – how many times do I say that and I never actually do it? How many times do I use it as just a farewell, or as code for “Stop talking to me about your problems”?
That’s all I have to say. Please consider that as your thought for the day…
I’ve brought that up in confession before. I was told that if the intention is there, then in reality, you’ve already lifted them in prayer.
If it really bothers you, when you remember later, just offer a Mass or a Rosary for them. Or just say, “Lord, I lift them into your loving arms. May Your Will be done.”
It’s not really hypocrisy, because just saying “I’ll pray for you” has already set that prayer in motion.
I do think we all think that prayer must be so specific and in a specific way; in the chapel, kneeing, hands folded and listing the petitions like a check list. But it can be as simple as, “I’ll pray for you.” and then the Lord takes it from there.
Besides, we get soooooo many, “Will you pray for me?” it’s hard to remember every single person and petition we are asked to pray for or that we said we will pray for. So, at the end of the day, you can just say a Lord’s Prayer for the intentions of all that you said you will pray for.
It doesn’t take much as long as the intention is there. Plus, when we are not sooooo specific, we allow the prayer to be open for the Lord to do His Will, rather than what we or the other person thinks is needed.
That’s just my opinion and I know many who would disagree with me, but for me, I don’t want to limit God with my specifics. I would rather just ask His Will be done no matter how it turns out. Sometimes the other person is changed and sometimes, I’m the one changed. It’s His Will being done through that intention, not mine. =)
Great thoughts, Dawn! Especially the part about not being specific so that the Lord’s Will is done. It IS the thought that counts. A prayer does not necessarily have to be a formal drawn out thing (which is good in and of itself).
I like to think of the little prayers we’re discussing here as little text messages to God. Short and sweet, and very meaningful to get the point across to the Big Guy Upstairs.