It Takes More Than Luck

Have you ever felt like your luck's run out or said, "Just like my luck."?  Or I had a friends that used to say, "Thank my lucky stars."

It's amazing how many common expressions are built around the word luck.  Luck of the Irish, out of luck, streak of luck, lucky guess, lucky break, don't push your luck, this is your lucky day -- just to name a few.  The most common of all, is a simple "good luck."

Then there are superstitious notions about situations that bring bad luck: having a black cat cross you path, opening an umbrella indoors, breaking a mirror and walking under a latter.  Rabbits' feet are said to bring good luck, although the donor rabbits seldom agree.

Few of us could be considered superstitious.  Breaking a mirror might ruin our day but it certainly won't spoil the next seven years.  But what role, if any, does luck play in our lives?

Although the exact origin of the word luck is not clear, etymological dictionaries suggest it came into the English language as a gambling term.

Webster's definition, "implies more than mere chance," is involved.  This may be because of the word's association with rabbits' feet, charms, amulets, crosses and other objects supposedly endowed with supernatural powers.

Luck may also be defined as favoring chance.  Solomon speaks of this kind of luck when he says, "the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill" (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

Let's face it, many things that occur in our lives are not a result of our skills and abilities.  It would be a mistake, of course, to categorize everything that happens as either good or bad luck.  To do so would be to minimize the importance of individual efforts -- not to mention the significance of God's involvement.

It's surprising what things people will attribute to bad luck.  Traffic tickets, accidents and injuries, financial problems, illness lack of friends -- you name it.  But God says, "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7).

The phrase "good luck" tends to be a negative comment.  It does not put much hope in God's help or in the abilities and talents of the individual.  If we believe that God hears and answers our prayers and is involved in our lives, then we know a lot more than luck is behind our good fortune.

Instead of  "good luck" why not say "I wish you success"?  After all, if our success and good fortune depends entirely on luck, the odds are certainly against us.

All of us have a certain amount of control over our own destinies but we are warned not be too confident that we alone can do everything we plan.  God tells us to say, "If the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that" (James 4:15).

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is" (Jeremiah 17:7).  Also, read Proverbs 3:6.

God wants us to actively make good things happen in our lives.  He expects us to set right goals for ourselves and then to purposely pursue them.

If we apply ourselves diligently and rely on God for strength and guidance, our success will be guaranteed.  Or, as the apostle Paul puts it, "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).