“I think we consider too much the good luck of the early bird and not enough the bad luck of the early worm.” ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
Are you lucky? Both of my parents were born in Ireland and I grew up hearing the phrase: “It’s the luck of Irish”. I often hear people say things like: “Wish me luck” or they may wish others “good luck” before a sporting event, a sales call or even on the day of their wedding.
Don’t we want all the things that are out of our control to magically line up in our favor? Luck is what a lot of people hope for to resolve circumstances that are beyond their control. If everything goes well, we’ve had “good luck” and if it goes poorly, it was “bad luck”.
“What’s luck got to do with it?” Luck isn’t a person, energy of the universe or the work of a leprechaun. Luck is the label we put on situations, circumstances and outcomes when we fail to recognize God’s providence and acknowledge His sovereignty. Here’s one of the many great examples from the Bible that reveals the providence of God working behind the scenes:
If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NLT)
Esther is one of the great women leaders mentioned in the Bible. She was uniquely positioned to make a huge difference in the history of the Jewish people. Being in the right place at the right time with the right people and the right resources is a recipe for success. The Book of Esther is the only book of the Bible that doesn’t mention God by name but effectively reveals His presence and providence in all things.
Our life circumstances are not determined by the proverbial flip of a coin. God has a plan and He is in control. His eternal plan is much bigger than any one of us. God was at work before we were born and will be after we are gone.
As Christian leaders, we have the responsibility to model a faith response in all things, both “good” and “bad”. Trust God that He is at work. Your temporal circumstances are part of His big picture design to accomplish His eternal purpose. You get to be a part of that! Notice in the phrase: “…deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place…”
God is not limited by your cooperation or obedience to His plan. He offers you the opportunity to be a part of it, but will accomplish His work with or without you. By faith, respond with obedience to both blessings and challenges as you trust His divine purpose in your life and leadership today.