Growing up, I've always heard "I'll be praying for you." In any southern state, it seems that this is something you're supposed to say when somebody tells you any sort of news: sickness, job interviews, moving, depression or anything you can think of. It's people's first response, but do they really pray?

I caught myself several years ago just telling people, "Oh man, that's something serious. I'll definitely be praying for you" all the time. I woke up one morning and quickly realized I wasn't doing what I said I would do. I was telling all of these people I would pray for them, yet I never once whispered their name to God and asked Him to wrap His arms around them. I had a major wake up call, and it hit me like a ton of bricks.

It really bothers me now when I hear people say they will pray for me or other people, and I know they aren't going to do it. Don't get me wrong, I know there are people who sincerely pray. But for the majority of people, they say it because they don't know what else to say.

My heart is so burdened by this. I wish people meant that they were actually praying for those they said they are praying for instead of just saying it. Have you ever seen those Facebook post going viral about somebody who has been in a horrible accident or diagnosed with cancer and the thousands of comments are "Praying" and that's all the comments say? I wonder just how many of those people actually pray to our Father and lift that person up.

Whenever I tell somebody I am going to pray for them, I either pray for them right then and there or I write them down in my prayer notes, so I can pray for them that day. This isn't something I learned to do easily. I've had to train myself to sincerely pray for people if I tell them I am going to pray for them. If I know I am not going to pray for them, I just tell them they are in my thoughts and that I will be thinking of them.

My prayer for everyone is that we will become people of our word. If we tell someone we are going to pray for them, we will genuinely pray for them instead of just saying something because we don't know what else to say. If you aren't going to pray for them or you know you are going to forget, just tell them you will be thinking of them. There is nothing wrong telling somebody they're going to be in your thoughts. I would much rather hear than that someone telling me they're going to do something for me and not do it.

I will conclude saying thank you to those who really do pray for those people they say they're going to pray for. Our job as Christians is to be warriors and in our warrior job, we are to pray for our brothers and sisters. We have to be people who are willing to put aside our fears so we can pray for one another. We have to be people who want to pray for our family, friends and strangers because we either hurt for them or are rejoicing for them. We have to be people who want to pray instead of saying we are going to pray. The difference between saying you're praying for someone and actually praying for someone is one simple action, talking to our Father.