Paving Stones

They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.  A quick google search also says that originally the thought was perhaps from St. Bernard of Clairvaux who, in the 12th century said something along the lines of "hell is full of good intentions and desires."  It being well past the height of the Roman empire and long before the modern period, it is safe to assume that "pave" and "road" did not go together in St. Bernard's mind.  Paved courtyards, perhaps, but "the courtyards to hell are paved with good intentions" hasn't the same cachet.   It lacks the image of a steady progress in the wrong direction.

The intent of the saying is to underline the need for execution - to exhort people to go beyond just intending or desiring a good thing, but actually acting on it.  James in his epistle similarly presses his readers to be doers and not merely hearers of the word.  Or to quote a less saintly source, "Do or do not.  There is no try."

I have experienced the frustration with myself and with others who repeatedly start out in a new and noble direction only to get distracted or lose steam.

But are good intentions therefore worthless?  I don't think so.  There is another road that is paved with them.  Psalm 38 is, essentially, a psalm of repentance. The psalmist finds himself in great distress, both physically - there is no health in my flesh (v.3) - and spiritually - for my iniquities overwhelm me (v.4).  In the psalm there is a cry to God to help, to rescue. And with that call a confidence and assurance that he will:
For in you, O Lord, I have fixed my hope;
you will answer me, O Lord my God. (v. 15)

The psalmist frankly acknowledges two sources for his distress - his own actions and sins and those who gloat over him in that distress.  Through the psalm we hear the confession of iniquity, sin, foolishness and then this interesting verse:
Those who repay evil for good slander me
because I follow the course that is right. (v.20)

You'll have to excuse me if I find this a little counter-intuitive.  He says, "I am full of iniquity, sin, and foolishness" and also "I follow the course that is right."  What is that right course?

The right course is turning to God.  In you, I have fixed my hope.  Another word for this is repentance - which is a reversal of direction - a turning from one path to another.  And repentance is at its first  a good intention.  It is a decision to turn to God.  It is, as such, not just a good intention but the best one.  Without this intention, there is no further action on the road.

The invitation to confession at communion in the Book of Common Prayer (the older editions) goes like this:
Ye that do earnestly repent you of your sins and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead the new life, following the commandments of God and walking from henceforth in his holy ways, draw near with faith... (emphasis mine)

We begin always with intention.  Our wills turn first and then our actions.

The road to hell may well be paved with good intentions, but the road to God begins with them as well.