“Good luck is a lazy man’s estimate of a worker’s success.”–author unknown.
Yesterday’s journal post was on Success and the focus was allowing “God” to be the focus and leading of your life for TRUE SUCCESS. I believe this with all of my heart. It all starts with God for gaining true fulfillment and success for the purpose you were created. Now I want to look at an area we get “deceived” in, especially our youth and young adults. It is the “lucky” card we pull when we see others have success. Luck and superstition go hand-in-hand and tomorrow’s journal deals more with “what Scripture has led me to believe about superstition!” Today I want to journal about luck.
I believe that “good luck” only happens when HARD WORK MEETS OPPORTUNITY! In other words, I don’t believe in Good luck as many do! When someone appears to act or make a decision on instinct and have success, they might give credit to luck. Or maybe they give credit to a hunch or a good guess. That might happen every so often but, I think most all success comes from an instinct that was developed. Developed from the experience of working, failing, getting up and trying again. Working through failure by reflecting and making a careful conscious study of events and learning from mistakes big and small. WE have to put down our PRIDE when we make mistakes or don’t get the desired outcome. Look at what our decisions were, good and bad, and be willing to admit and make a change on the bad ones!
I believe that we can apply Proverbs 28:13 here, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” It is talking about sin here, but I think it also applies to the sin of pride in our work. If we are unwilling to think and admit that maybe we made a bad decision which could mean anything– hiring the wrong person (bad judgment) for a position. Or, to a golfer, going for a pin on a particular golf hole that we call a “sucker pin” when, instead, the decision should have been to go for the middle of the green. It is not the golf shot that is the sin, it is the unwillingness to admit a bad/risky decision that had a bad outcome. That is how we learn! Thus your instinct is developed from and intentionally working at something and accepting opportunities, no matter the size. Taking advantage of what is presented in hopes of bigger things, all the while growing your judgment and instincts, admitting and learning from your mistakes.
IF you are a person who is unwilling to objectively look at yourself and your part in your mistakes, you will be like a “hamster running on a wheel” going NO WHERE! There are some things that happen to us that are out of our control. Could be a health problem (cancer), someone else’s improper behavior (lies), and the list goes on and on. What we can control in the situation is “Our Response” and what we choose to DO!!! Objectively reflecting on our lives and our choices can teach us invaluable things, and asking others to help us see what we don’t see or offering another way to look at things can be INVALUABLE. It requires time and effort, on our part, and a willingness to be humble!
There is just no substitution for hard work. Proverbs 10:4, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” Sometimes you can be “spinning your wheels” and spend lots of time at something, doing the wrong thing the wrong way. That is why it is always important to incorporate “people” who have been there and done that. Seeking and being DILIGENT in finding what I call “wise counsel”! Having another “set of eyes” on the situation. Sometimes it may require a few sets of eyes. Proverbs 15:22, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” Remember, in seeking advisors you are intentional not to just seek any opinion, but the opinion of someone who is worthy to give it.
I love the verse in Proverbs 10:21, “The lips of the righteous NOURISH many, but fools die for lack of judgment.” Picking a righteous person does not mean a “perfect person,” but a person “skilled in their work” who would be approaching life from a Godly perspective. I am not saying don’t go to a doctor who is not a believer in Christ, even though that would be my personal preference. What I am saying is invite people in to make assessments and recommendations and seek God in the decisions. God may very well use the unbelieving doctor or lawyer in a believer’s life.
I believe in God who instructs us in how to live a significant, successful life and I believe luck has nothing to do with it. There are no secrets to having an Abundant life. We have to go to and give credit to the appropriate source, Jesus.