Merriam-Webster:
Intention:
1: a determination to act in a certain way : resolve
5: concept; especially : a concept considered as the product of attention directed to an object of knowledge
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions."
In this quote, the concept of intention is degraded to be defined as desire, or minor intent; as in the statement, "I want to be an astronaut." True intention is action. In such a case when one had true intention, there would be actions immediate following the statement which would lead to the reality of becoming an astronaut. Thus, it is an untrue statement, upon further examination. The truth is that the one making that statement would enjoy some of the effects that astronauts experience. However, what it takes to become an astronaut is not worth the effort to them. If the statement were true, the person would have then put their energy into that path of intention through action.
Prayer
Often I hear people say, "I'll pray for you", or, "I'm praying for you". This statement is often a genuine and positive way of offering their "help". This method does not show true intention. It is attention, which we are finding is very valuable on some level of sending out our attention and desire to "God" for the benefit of the one receiving the benefit of the prayer.
Often, this lends energy and the faith needed for the person being prayed for to do what it is that is required to create their own reality encompassing that thing or state which they desire. My meaning is that, prayer is attention, not intention. If one intends to help you, they will act in ways other than giving their attention.
Attention is tending to a personal path. The path to God, if you will. Intention is tending to the inside. The inner energy necessary for action. Hence, attention is offering a willing desire. Intention is action ending in the desired effect.
Evidence of true intention
Just as I wrote this, I looked at the Webster dictionary for the definition and followed an ad to a quantum-physics methodology using intention to create your alternative self called quantum jumping.
Intention does not listen to conscious fears and observations. These "observations" are skewed by judgement based on perception. They are not barriers, nor are they "real" in a future sense. They are situations or objects observed through a complex view of reality formed by the conscious mind and our social programing which obscures their true meaning and relative position to self. The wall exists. It is not a barrier. The objects that hold our attention reveal our true intention. If the wall is in the way, is the intention to stop there, or continue to the original intention.
When walking in the dark with a flashlight, the light remains on the goal. When fear assumes the attention, it requires the light to move onto the object of fear. Losing sight of the goal. Done often or long enough, the original goal can be lost and wandering around in the darkness, running from fear to fear can easily become the goal of the walk.
This is a metaphor explaining what happens when an intention is degraded by lack of attention. This is a case when prayer or encouragement of the intention can help lend the energy necessary to focus on the intended result.
