My wife and I were on a retreat with a number of other pastor and wives. The theme was “Soul Care – Staying Healthy and Finishing Strong.” It emphasized the importance of taking care of our souls so that we can effectively help and serve those in our ministry settings.
Like many conferences and retreats, I left refreshed and filled with intentions of implementing specific things in my life. I knew there was a saying about good intentions that do not get put into practice and through the wonderful world of Google, I found that Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153) is attributed with the phrase, "Hell is full of good intentions”.
Nobody knows the occasion that brought about his statement. Some suggest the saying means that good intentions are worthless unless there are actions. Others suggest that it means well-intended acts can lead to disaster such as lying to keep a friend out of trouble. Let’s try to avoid either outcome.
If you were to write a list of good things that that you intend to do someday when the time is right or you have time, how long would your list be?
I have a very long list in my mind of good things to do that I have no deadline or plan to get them done. Some of the things are relatively minor such as listing the deck of our dead lawn mower for sale. (It ain’t moving no where!) There are some things that may have disastrous results if I do not get them done, such as putting up a railing on the stairs in our garage.
Good intentions will not take away the effect of a bad fall off the stairs. It is important to make a plan, set a deadline and get it done!
One of the most important intentions that is filling hell up is to say, “One day I will submit my life to Jesus Christ.” The apostle Paul quotes Isaiah 49:8 and urges people not adding one more intention to hell.
2 Corinthians 6:2
For He says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Like many conferences and retreats, I left refreshed and filled with intentions of implementing specific things in my life. I knew there was a saying about good intentions that do not get put into practice and through the wonderful world of Google, I found that Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153) is attributed with the phrase, "Hell is full of good intentions”.
Nobody knows the occasion that brought about his statement. Some suggest the saying means that good intentions are worthless unless there are actions. Others suggest that it means well-intended acts can lead to disaster such as lying to keep a friend out of trouble. Let’s try to avoid either outcome.
If you were to write a list of good things that that you intend to do someday when the time is right or you have time, how long would your list be?
I have a very long list in my mind of good things to do that I have no deadline or plan to get them done. Some of the things are relatively minor such as listing the deck of our dead lawn mower for sale. (It ain’t moving no where!) There are some things that may have disastrous results if I do not get them done, such as putting up a railing on the stairs in our garage.
Good intentions will not take away the effect of a bad fall off the stairs. It is important to make a plan, set a deadline and get it done!
One of the most important intentions that is filling hell up is to say, “One day I will submit my life to Jesus Christ.” The apostle Paul quotes Isaiah 49:8 and urges people not adding one more intention to hell.
2 Corinthians 6:2
For He says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
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