I have heard those words spoken thousands of times in my life, and I almost always think to myself “What does that really mean?” Does God somehow keep count of all the prayers coming her way and when it reaches a certain point, she decides to change her plans for that person or event being prayed for? Does God use polling to change his mind? I certainly hope not!

What is the point of “I will pray for you” when you have the power to help and you do nothing? Do your “thoughts and prayers”, and putting it all on God excuse your inaction? Do your “thoughts and prayers” absolve you of your God-given responsibility to help your fellow man?

Many Evangelicals today cite C.S. Lewis, who was a 20th-century theologian/philosopher who had a thing or two to say on this subject.

C.S. Lewis once said:

“If conversion to Christianity makes no improvement in a man’s outward actions — if he continues to be just as snobbish or spiteful or envious or ambitious as he was before — then I think we must suspect that his ‘conversion’ was largely imaginary; Fine feelings, new insights, greater interest in ‘religion’ mean nothing unless they change our actual behaviour.”

To me, saying “I will pray for you” is tantamount to the ultimate form of hypocrisy of putting it all on God.