We have all heard that ancient adage, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” It did not originate from the Bible, but God’s word does have a lot to say about forming good intentions and following them up with decisive action.
When we hear that quotation our first reaction is to think of procrastination. Henry Ford said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” A good example of procrastination is all of those wonderful resolutions we made at the beginning of this year that we never put into action at least for more than a brief period of time. We meant well when we formed the list, but life happened or reality set in and they simply didn’t get done. The enemy loves to keep us from doing what is good in God’s sight. It could be that he froze us with fear of failing. Maybe he distracted us with “busy work”. He may have simply appealed to our lazy nature by getting us to tell ourselves, “Someday, but just not today.” However it happens, when we know to do what is good in the sight of God and fail to do it God’s word calls that sin. (James 4:17) Because it is a sin of omission we are tempted to overlook it when we repent of our sins, but God doesn’t overlook our failure to act and neither should we.
There is another way to look at the road paved with good intentions. Proverbs 14:12 tells us, “There is a pathway that seems right to a man, but in the end it’s a road to death.” We might sincerely believe our intentions are good but are they God-approved? You don’t have to look very hard to find someone who is sincerely wrong. I’m sure that is what T.S. Eliot had in mind when he wrote, “Most of the evil in this world is done by people with good intentions.”
A third point of view is when people think they can get to heaven through their good works. We are saved through faith not by works (Romans 3:28). Even though we mean well if our intentions and even our actions are designed just to gain points with God they are only good as paving material on that road in the wrong direction. Our good works must come from our hearts in appreciation for what God has already done for us. We show our love for Him by our acts of obedience because He first loved us.
As believers we need to ask God to give us intentions that are pleasing to Him and compatible with His intentions for us. Then we need to ask for strength to act on them with confidence. He has provided the Holy Spirit to guide us on the road He has prepared for us (Psalm 23:3). That road leads us right into God’s presence.