The Path to Heaven

As I sat, drinking coffee and journaling this morning, I heard spirit whisper “the path to Heaven is paved with good intentions”. It sounded familiar and resonated deeply with me. I was surprised when I looked it up to be able to reference its origins, it wasn't the quote I was just told.

The actual quote that has been accepted for centuries: the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. I never truly understood just how misguided this quote was…until now.

I sat with both version for quite a while before I connected the dots. The road to hell is paved with other people’s good intentions. I understand the creator's reason for his perception. The Hell he was speaking of wasn’t eternal damnation after death; it was being alive and suffering with the pain of:

• being disappointed when he needed dependability,

• being judged when he needed acceptance,

• being shamed when he needed love.

  
  

It was, and still is, focusing on other’s intentions and behaviors, rather than our own.

As someone who has lived in a hell paved by ‘good intentions’, let me explain.

We have no way of knowing what someone’s intentions or circumstances truly are. More often than not, we are unaware of our own. We say we ‘had good intentions’ to soften the blow of failure. Yet, if we actually had morally righteous intentions, there would be no failure.

I had to address this issue personally: the intentions for my behaviors. 

While I always chose to be good, my intentions were for acceptance, out of loneliness, or to prove myself. I have had to look honestly at who I was, what I valued, what I wanted, and what I liked. What I found was an incomplete person. One that aligned with goodness but acted out of shame.  One that valued friendship, provided friendship, but allowed abuse, disrespect, and neglect. One that craved love, yet accepted lust.

Then I sat in a God commanded isolation and discovered who I am:

·         Without labels.

·         Without responsibilities,

·         Without expectations,

God slowly took away all that treasured, to guide me back to true authentic self.  One that can answer the questions:

• Who I am,

• What I value,

• What I want,

• What I like,

• And what my purpose is.

Here is what I learned:

Intention is defined as the purpose or attitude towards the effect of one’s actions or conduct. The energy behind the action.

Good is defined as Morally excellent; virtuous; righteous. Beneficial or advantageous; promoting well-being. Of high quality; honorable or reliable. Kind, generous, or friendly in nature.

So when you say “good intentions,” you should be referring to intentions that are:

morally aligned, aimed at benefiting others, trustworthy in action, and loving in spirit.

I am on the other side now. No longer living with expectations, judgement, or shame. Aligned with truth, patience, kindness, and honesty, in intention and action, not just for other, but myself as well.

The Hell I once lived in is a memory now and I can tell you from experience:

The road through Hell is paved with your good intentions, regardless of the intentions of others.