It's so common. "My thoughts are with the victims of the recent earthquake in China." "Sending good thoughts to your family as you deal with this this rough time." "Please send good thoughts..."
Okay, but what are thoughts gonna do?
I suspect that the word "thoughts" has been replacing the word "prayer". But thoughts and prayer are two different things. Someone would say they'll send prayers to your family, and what they mean by that is they will pray for you, they'll do something that they honestly and genuinely think will help.
And I realize that many people (who aren't religious) believe that prayer is just thoughts, that they're going nowhere and are, at most, a good way to meditate. So, to them, the word "thoughts" can be used when they know they won't be praying.
But that's not how it works.
When people say "thoughts" instead because they're not religious or they don't want to admit their belief, they aren't really saying much by keeping someone "in their thoughts." Because "keeping them in my prayers" is a course of action, at least to the person who is religious. It is a promise to bring these troubles to their higher power (which is the absolute most they can do).
Many people laugh at religious folks for praying, because "it's just thoughts that aren't going anywhere, so why do you even try?" But they can't say that and then turn around and say, "I'm keeping you in my thoughts, I'm sending good thoughts." I would think that everyone realizes that merely thinking about something isn't going to make it better.
Prayer is action, but "keeping them in my thoughts" is not, so how is it even worth it to mention?
