Did someone say to you, ‘all my prayers are with you,’ and you’re wondering what it means? In this article, we’ll take a look at the meaning, definition, how to reply, and more.
In brief:
For example, a person might tell you that their prayers are with you if you or one of your family members are battling an illness. It can imply that the person will literally include you in their prayer practice, or it can simply mean that the person is keeping you in their thoughts and wishing you the best.
‘All my prayers are with you’ is a phrase that implies that the speaker is praying for you during a difficult time or wishing you the best through prayer.
Prayer is defined as:
“A solemn expression of thanks or request for help addressed to God or an object of worship.”
Therefore, this phrase is an expression that means that a person is praying for you when you are going through a difficult time.
Some of the contexts in which a person might use this phrase include:
According to the Pew Research Center, 55% of adults in the United States pray at least daily, while 23% of adults seldom or never pray. If someone says, ‘all my prayers are with you,’ they might be implying that they will literally include you in their prayers. However, it can also be used as an expression to convey one’s empathy and sympathy, and it might not actually mean that they will be discussing your circumstance while they pray.
When someone says that they are going to pray for you, they are implying that they are trying to bear your burden during a difficult time.
Depending on the context, you might choose the word ‘you’ for another pronoun or proper noun. For example, if your friend is telling you that their mother is going through a truly difficult time, you might say, ‘all my prayers are with her’ or ‘all my prayers are with your mother.’
The word ‘prayer’ dates back to around the year 1300 from the word preiere meaning "the practice of praying or of communing with God” as well as "earnest request, entreaty, petition."
The meaning of "devout petition to God or a god or other object of worship" comes from the mid-14th century.
It isn’t precisely clear when people started using the phrase ‘all my prayers are with you.’ However, we find examples of the phrase ‘pray for you’ using the Google Books Ngram Viewer starting in 1800, when the phrase was already commonly in use. Usage of ‘pray for you’ declined between 1850 and the mid-20th century, with increased usage starting around the mid-1980s.
An early example comes from 1803 in the publication Grace and Truth:
“Besides, if he act suitable to his profession and character (as there is ground to hope will be the case), he will pray for you, and you ought, in return, to pray for him.”
The history of prayer as a practice stretches way back in human history. In written sources, we found mention of prayer as early as five thousand years ago. Almost all major religions involve prayer in one manner or another these days. In some religions, prayer involves a strict sequence of actions in a ritualized manner. In others, prayer is something that individuals can practice at any time spontaneously.
How would you use ‘all my prayers are with you’ in a sentence?
Let’s take a look at some examples.
There are a number of ways you can respond to ‘all my prayers are with you.’
A person will normally say this when you are going through a hard time or have lost someone close to you. In using this phrase, they are expressing their sympathy and support for you in a difficult time. In some cases, they might be saying that they will include you in their prayer practice.
Here are some ways you can respond if someone says this to you:
Even if you do not share the religious beliefs of the person that is telling you that all of their prayers are with you, this phrase is usually used in a genuine and well-meaning way. For that reason, it is good to respond with appreciation. If you personally do not believe in prayer or have conflicting religious views with the person who is making this statement, you can simply say ‘thank you’ or ‘thank you for thinking of me’ to express your appreciation.
What are some other words and phrases that have a similar meaning to 'All My Prayers Are With You'? Depending on your own religious beliefs and practices, as well as the religious beliefs and practices of the person you are sending your well wishes to, you might choose a phrase that is more or less religious in its nature.
Here are some options:
‘All my prayers are with you’ is a phrase that can be used when one wants to extend sympathy and thoughts towards another individual when they have lost a loved one or are dealing with adversity. For example, you might use this phrase if someone you know is fighting an illness or if they have a sick family member. The implication of the phrase can either be that the person is generally keeping you in their thoughts, or it can mean that they will literally include you in their practice of prayer.
There are many appropriate responses to ‘all my prayers are with you,’ including a simple ‘thank you.’
Is it time for you to continue expanding your English vocabulary? Head over to our idioms blog for more idioms, expressions, phrases, and sayings.
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