Is it OK to let God keep my Prayer List?

[ricmat]

As I get older, my memory for some strange reason isn’t as good as it used to be . I try to keep a list in my head of everyone / everything I’m trying to pray for. But when I pray, I usually add “…and for all those I promised to pray for, but forgot.”

On the other hand, a buddy of mine just prays for those “on his prayer list” - and doesn’t mention any specifics. He says that when he thinks of somebody / something to pray for, he asks God to remember it for him. This sounds to me a bit like treating God like a butler or a PDA, and might tend to make one lazy besides. But I guess if my memory is REALLY going bad I might need to go this direction some day myself.

Opinions?

 

[LilyM]

As I get older, my memory for some strange reason isn’t as good as it used to be . I try to keep a list in my head of everyone / everything I’m trying to pray for. But when I pray, I usually add “…and for all those I promised to pray for, but forgot.”

On the other hand, a buddy of mine just prays for those “on his prayer list” - and doesn’t mention any specifics. He says that when he thinks of somebody / something to pray for, he asks God to remember it for him. This sounds to me a bit like treating God like a butler or a PDA, and might tend to make one lazy besides. But I guess if my memory is REALLY going bad I might need to go this direction some day myself.

Opinions?

Some people actually keep a little notebook or notepad with them and list prayer intentions as they come up, which sounds like rather a good idea.

On the other hand I tend to treat it like confession - I specify everything that comes to mind and then end with a blanket statement - ‘anyone who has requested or needs my prayers who I may have forgotten’

 

[maria_rose]

Hi there,
Reading your post reminds me of what I do for a prayer list.
There are so many People I pray for and a written list gets too big and I can’t possibly remember every prayer request I come across.
I believe it’s just fine to ask God to remember all the names and needs you pray for. His shoulders are huge . He will be honored to know that you pray for people.
As long as you try your best to remember yourself as well. I always add when I pray" please God look after all people that I pray for , you remember them better than me so Lord I entrust them to you!"
Please pray to the best of your ability and don’t feel bad. You are a good soul for caring.
God love you!

 

[BobP123]

As I get older, my memory for some strange reason isn’t as good as it used to be . I try to keep a list in my head of everyone / everything I’m trying to pray for. But when I pray, I usually add “…and for all those I promised to pray for, but forgot.”

On the other hand, a buddy of mine just prays for those “on his prayer list” - and doesn’t mention any specifics. He says that when he thinks of somebody / something to pray for, he asks God to remember it for him. This sounds to me a bit like treating God like a butler or a PDA, and might tend to make one lazy besides. But I guess if my memory is REALLY going bad I might need to go this direction some day myself.

Opinions?

I understand that if you pray for everyone and his good intentions AND MEAN IT, then the prayer is valid. No list needed. Everyone benefits.

 

[burnside]

I am 65 on my next bitrhday and have a problem with my memory as well,so i just pray for peace now.It covers everythingeace in
the world,peace in the family.If you have Peace you will be ok,
even when things are going wrong.
Years ago,i remember getting this advice in Confession.Sadly,i didn’t live up to it till relatively recently.

 

[chevalier]

I’m 24, but I have memory like I have Alzheimer’s sometimes. There’s always, “for all for whom I have promised to pray,” after which I sometimes recall one or two, “for all for whom I should pray,” and, “for all who pray for me.”

 

[Deidre]

Like everyone else, my prayer list also gets so long at times, that I have trouble remembering everyone who I’m suppose to pray for. I name as many people as I can remember, then end my prayer with “anyone who I may have forgotten and anybody near and dear to your heart.”

I’ve thought about starting a ‘special intentions book’ at home where not only I but other family members can write in special intentions, and then just pray for all the needs listed in the special intention book. On one level it kind of sounds impersonal, but on the other hand, we have a special intentions book at church and we pray for all the intentions in our special intention book at each Mass, so I guess it’s okay to pray that way.

I love this forum. It’s so nice to hear that other people have the same questions (and often same solutions) that I do!

 

[blessedtoo]

I heard this question asked on CAL once and the response from the host was that God knows who we are praying for before we even ask. So I stopped worrying about who I forgot on my “list” and found comfort knowing that God knows me better than I know myself, and knows my heart and intentions whether I remember to voice them or not.

 

[ricmat]

Thank you to all who replied. This gives me a lot of things to think about

 

[tomch]

I agree with you all. I think the important thing is that people are PRAYING. There have been times in my life where I haven’t prayed regularly, and I’m sure God would have preferred something rather than nothing.

I like the idea of a list. I’m going to start one.

 

[water]

I like the idea of a list. I’m going to start one.

It is a good idea.

This reminds me that I need to keep a list of my sins - I tend to forget that I had already confessed some sins, then next few confessions, I mentioned the sins again.

 

[Zooey]

Like everyone else, my prayer list also gets so long at times, that I have trouble remembering everyone who I’m suppose to pray for. I name as many people as I can remember, then end my prayer with “anyone who I may have forgotten and anybody near and dear to your heart.”

I’ve thought about starting a ‘special intentions book’ at home where not only I but other family members can write in special intentions, and then just pray for all the needs listed in the special intention book. On one level it kind of sounds impersonal, but on the other hand, we have a special intentions book at church and we pray for all the intentions in our special intention book at each Mass, so I guess it’s okay to pray that way.

I love this forum. It’s so nice to hear that other people have the same questions (and often same solutions) that I do!

This is what I do. My memory is pretty much:shrug: totally shot, & I know I would miss people otherwise.
Whenever I write something or someone down, I pray right then, & ask for this prayer to be remembered when I “really” pray. (Like, you know, sit down and do it, as opposed to general talking to God).
I am really bad about posting reminders to people who post requests, that I am praying, but I do; in fact, I have discovered that even as I am reading people’s intentions, that I have a mental decade of the rosary going even before I finish reading…

 

[ricmat]

Whenever I write something or someone down, I pray right then, & ask for this prayer to be remembered when I “really” pray. (Like, you know, sit down and do it, as opposed to general talking to God).

I really like this idea…thanks for sharing it.