How Important Is It?

It's been said a few times in the course of human existence that "actions speak louder than words". I don't think anyone would debate the truthfulness of the statement.  It's pretty much a no-brainer.  For example, we know you can't simply tell someone you love them and that be enough.  You must show them you love them through your actions. You would also be hard-pressed to convince someone of someone else's dependability that never follows through on their promises.

But what happens when words aren't actually said but good intentions are made in the heart? What happens when those intentions are never followed through on?  Is the message the same? Let me give you an example.  The other day I was getting ready to pray.  Now - I have a prayer system that keeps me faithful to praying.  I'm not trying to toot my own horn.  Just trying to say I feel like I've made good progress in my prayer life.  But the other day it dawned on me that they are circumstances and/or people that require a little bit more than a simple toss onto my list.  They require a little extra prayer and fervency.

I thought I was doing good but the question occurred to me: "How important is it?"  I mean - I know people who are really going through some hard times.  Do I pray for them? Yes. Is that good to do? Yes.  But what about putting a little heart into my prayers?  Is my desire for God to work in their lives important enough for me to dedicate actual time (say more than a minute) praying for them? Do I want God to "kind of" affect their lives or do I want God to SUPERSIZE blessings in their lives?

Here's another example: I know of some people who dedicate themselves to praying faithfully for their child's future spouse.  So I ask myself the same question. How important is it?  Do I want to give my daughter an "advantage" when it comes to meeting her mate?  Of course, I do.  Is it important enough to pray for?  Absolutely.  Is it important enough to actually do and not just say.  I hope so.

All prayers are important.  It's just that I'm beginning to see a correlation between the type of prayer I pray and how important the prayer is to me.  My hope is that I'll learn to put more of my heart and effort into my prayers than just my words.