“I’ll be praying for you.” How many times have we said this to someone, left their presence, and have done everything except pray for them? Your promise to pray means a lot to the individuals who need it. People expect you to pray for them.

Since we know that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21) and that faith without works is dead (James 2:26), let’s sit down and make an actionable plan for when we promise to keep people in our prayers. 

1. Can you pray for them in the moment? Don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today. Proverbs 24:33-34 presents the notion of tomorrow never seeming to come when we procrastinate. This is so true for prayer! Your promise to pray may not come later or ever because the human mind tends to forget. So why not offer your prayers in the moment? Instead of saying, “I’ll be praying for you,” consider saying, “Can I pray with you now?” 
2. Can you set a reminder on your phone? Maybe the opportunity to pray with the person is not present. Consider setting a reminder on your phone so that you don’t feel the weight of having to just remember without any outside cues. 
3. Do you have a prayer journal? Some of us pray verbally and in written form. Using a digital prayer journal lets you write down the person’s prayer request immediately. 
4. Have you asked God to bring them before you during your prayer time? The Lord knows our heart’s intentions (Revelation 2:23; Jeremiah 17:10). He will not let you forget to pray for someone if you are meant to intercede on their behalf. Asking Him to bring them before you during your prayer time is the best way to keep your promise. 

Prayer is intentional. Our words surrounding prayer should be, too. Let’s work to remember those we said we’d pray for.