One of the most used phrases in my Compassion Arsenal is, “I’ll keep you in my prayers.” It’s really wonderful and fits in any sad, awkward or troubling situation. Whether somebody lost a loved one, has gotten sick or has just said something that is definitely T.M.I., this offering to keeping someone in our prayers is always met with sincere thanks.

I keep a list in the Notes section of my iphone of people I’m supposed to pray for. I’m much too scatterbrained to remember one of my fellow missionary moms that I only know through Facebook, or one of the women in my book club or one of the members of my ward.

As I was jotting someone down this morning, I wondered what it means to pray for someone. Is Heavenly Father up there keeping a tally, like Celestial box tops (“if only little Sally gets another ten prayers I can heal her!”)? Or is it more general like, “I can’t really decide whether I should comfort Sister Page. Maybe if someone prays for her, I will.”) Those scenarios seem rather far-fetched, but what exactly are we hoping to accomplish by offering a prayer on someone’s behalf? Well, obviously we’re hoping that whatever we’re praying for will absolutely come true. But we’re all realistic enough to know that the Lord has His own ideas and sometimes they’re the same as ours, but quite often they’re not.

Is an offer to pray for someone else just a mark of solidarity and caring? Are we merely hoping that we can offer them some sort of spiritual boost just by the very mention of praying for them? Do we figure the Lord will maybe give them a smidgen of help if we ask and if enough people pray, their prayer will be granted?

Sometimes people have asked me to pray for them and I sullenly think, “If Heavenly father wants this to happen, then it will. What difference will praying make?” But I know in my heart that this attitude is not right. Prayer must make a difference, it just must. It’s also mentioned in the scriptures all over the place that we need to pray always. I guess I can’t figure where our wants and wishes end and the Lord’s will begins. How do you find that praying for others (and yourself) works in your life?