--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ..when someone says \"please pray for me,\"…" description: "\"“..when someone says \"please pray for me,\" they are not just saying \"let's have lunch sometime.\" They are issuing an invitation into the depths of thei..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/sybil-macbeth-58306_prayer_when-someone-says-please-pray-for-me-the_1290959.jpg" --- # ..when someone says "please pray for me," they are not… ![“..when someone says "please pray for me," they are not just saying "let's have lunch sometime." They are issuing an invitation into the depths of their lives and their humanity- and often with some urgency. And worry is not a substitute for prayer. Worry is a starting place, but not a staying…” quote by Sybil MacBeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/sybil-macbeth-58306_prayer_when-someone-says-please-pray-for-me-the_1290959.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/sybil-macbeth-58306_prayer_when-someone-says-please-pray-for-me-the_1290959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/sybil-macbeth-58306_prayer_when-someone-says-please-pray-for-me-the_1290959.jpg) > ““..when someone says "please pray for me," they are not just saying "let's have lunch sometime." They are issuing an invitation into the depths of their lives and their humanity- and often with some urgency. And worry is not a substitute for prayer. Worry is a starting place, but not a staying place. Worry invites me into prayer. As a staying place, worry can be self-indulgent, paralyzing, draining, and controlling. When I take worry into prayer, it doesn't disappear, but it becomes smaller.”” [Sybil MacBeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybil-macbeth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer transforms worry into a smaller, manageable state, rather than letting it dominate. **In simple terms:** Prayer reduces worry’s power. Key Takeaway Turn anxiety into prayer. Themes faith emotion mental health Mood hopeful serene Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - personal counseling - faith-based support groups - mindfulness practices Key Concepts prayer worry spiritual coping Questions to Reflect On - When does prayer need to be paired with action? - How can we support those struggling with chronic worry? A Different Perspective Prayer may not address underlying issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Prayer Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-worry-4204959/) [Says Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-pray-1286448/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Worry Invites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry-invites-4204960/) [Worry Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry-prayer-1868367/) ## Related quotes > [Living in worry invites death in a hurry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/living-in-worry-invites-death-in-a-hurry/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [Worry is a prayer for something you don't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/worry-is-a-prayer-for-something-you-don-t-want/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [“Worry is a prayer to chaos”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/worry-is-a-prayer-to-chaos/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [Replace worry with prayer. Make the decision to pray whenever you catch yourself worrying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/replace-worry-with-prayer-make-the-decision-to-pray-whenever-you/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [If, at the time when the mind is praying it is distracted by any extraneous thought or worry about anything, then this prayer is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-of-nineveh/if-at-the-time-when-the-mind-is-praying-it-is-distracted-by-any/) [Isaac of Nineveh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-of-nineveh/) > [The sovereign cure for worry is prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-sovereign-cure-for-worry-is-prayer/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Some people keep God in a Sunday morning box and say, 'Hey, I did my religious duty.' That's fine, but the scripture says to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/some-people-keep-god-in-a-sunday-morning-box-and-say-hey-i-did-my/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [You are in love when¦ every text message, every phone call, every time someone says your name, You pray to God it is him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-in-love-when-every-text-message-every-phone-call-every-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God says to us, "Pray, because I have all kinds of things for you; and when you ask, you will receive. I have all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cymbala/god-says-to-us-pray-because-i-have-all-kinds-of-things-for-you-and/) [Jim Cymbala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cymbala/) > [If the Devil says you cannot pray when you are angry, tell him it is none of his business, and pray until that species…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-the-devil-says-you-cannot-pray-when-you-are-angry-tell-him-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is something else I must confess about Tata Boanda: he's a sinner. Right in the plain sight of God he has two wives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/there-is-something-else-i-must-confess-about-tata-boanda-he-s-a/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“He gives me a look, and I see that he’s in no mood for jokes. He’s right—this is no joke. But when you’re leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arkady-strugatsky/he-gives-me-a-look-and-i-see-that-he-s-in-no-mood-for-jokes-he-s/) [Arkady Strugatsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arkady-strugatsky/) > [Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-and-don-t-worry/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [You should never stress and worry when you can always pray and have Faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-should-never-stress-and-worry-when-you-can-always-pray-and-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pray, hope, don't worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-don-t-worry/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) ## More by Sybil MacBeth > [“Since words elude me when I need them most, I learned long ago that I cannot count on QUALITY time with God when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybil-macbeth/since-words-elude-me-when-i-need-them-most-i-learned-long-ago-that-i/) [Sybil MacBeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybil-macbeth/) > [“To my surprise, I had not just doodled, I had prayed (I drew new shapes and names of each friend and focused on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybil-macbeth/to-my-surprise-i-had-not-just-doodled-i-had-prayed-i-drew-new-shapes/) [Sybil MacBeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybil-macbeth/) > [“As a prayer popper, I stay in touch with God. I send lots of spiritual postcards. Little bits and bytes of adoration, supplication, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybil-macbeth/as-a-prayer-popper-i-stay-in-touch-with-god-i-send-lots-of-spiritual/) [Sybil MacBeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybil-macbeth/) > [“If it's worth doing, it's worth doing poorly. (friend who is a priest said regarding prayer)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybil-macbeth/if-it-s-worth-doing-it-s-worth-doing-poorly-friend-who-is-a-priest/) [Sybil MacBeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybil-macbeth/) [Explore all 5 Sybil MacBeth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybil-macbeth/) ## More Prayer quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [“every church can treat each discipleship class and each worship service as an opportunity for continual rehearsal of what the words, stories, symbols, rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/every-church-can-treat-each-discipleship-class-and-each-worship/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [“Worship Me Like the Goddess I Am or There Will Be Some Serious Smiting." Jubilee”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/worship-me-like-the-goddess-i-am-or-there-will-be-some-serious/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [Pray, hope, don't worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-don-t-worry/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [“Dear Lord, thank You for answered prayers and humans who do Your work here on earth. Please send Your comfort to all the animals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guideposts/dear-lord-thank-you-for-answered-prayers-and-humans-who-do-your-work/) [Guideposts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guideposts/) > [Therefore, brethren, pray until God gives us revelation so that "knowing this" in our spirit we may truly confess "that our old man has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watchman-nee/therefore-brethren-pray-until-god-gives-us-revelation-so-that-knowing/) [Watchman Nee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watchman-nee/) > [“The aristocratic interiority is centered on the higher mind, the mens, the ajna chakra, the seat of intellect and intuition that commands the lower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-evola/the-aristocratic-interiority-is-centered-on-the-higher-mind-the-mens/) [Julius Evola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-evola/) > [My father thrives on fear. You know that prayer If I should die before I wake? I had sheets that said that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/my-father-thrives-on-fear-you-know-that-prayer-if-i-should-die-before/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [You should never stress and worry when you can always pray and have Faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-should-never-stress-and-worry-when-you-can-always-pray-and-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God loves to glorify himself by suspending his gifts and blessings on our asking him for them. We should never presume to receive from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-storms/god-loves-to-glorify-himself-by-suspending-his-gifts-and-blessings-on/) [Sam Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-storms/) [Browse all 12,671 Prayer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“..when someone says \"please pray for me,\" they are not just saying \"let's have lunch sometime.\" They are issuing an invitation into the depths of their lives and their humanity- and often with some urgency. And worry is not a substitute for prayer. Worry is a starting place, but not a staying place. Worry invites me into prayer. As a staying place, worry can be self-indulgent, paralyzing, draining, and controlling. 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