I’m Not Lucky. I’m Blessed.

It’s that time of year when we are heading toward St. Patrick’s Day.  Lots of people have fun talking about the “Luck of the Irish,” the Blarney Stone, and shamrocks.  And some folks mention finding four leaf clovers and how they are supposed to give them good luck.

All this is fun!  Dressing in green for the day usually brings a “Happy St. Patrick’s Day!” One time when I was leading a children’s retreat over a weekend that included St. Patrick’s Day, we served “Green Eggs and Ham” for breakfast.  We had a Shamrock Hunt.  And we painted a counselor with a good sense of humor green. But we also taught the kids how St. Patrick was a great missionary whom God used in miraculous ways.

But today I’m thinking about how frequently people wish each other “Good luck!”  I hear it at work all of the time.  If I share something I’m about to do, it’s not unusual for someone to wish me luck.  I know they are being friendly, so I don’t correct them. (Unless, of course, I feel the leading of the Holy Spirit to say something.)   But I don’t believe in luck!

When we walk with Jesus, we know that He is involved in the circumstances of our lives.  We don’t have to go around hoping that things will work out for the best.  We pray and put our faith in Him.  We know it’s not by chance when things work out well for us.  God answers prayer and He blesses those who love and follow Him.

If the person who wishes me good luck is a Christian, I sometimes say something like, “I’m not lucky.  I’m blessed.”  Or “I don’t believe in luck.  I believe in blessings.”   As Christians we sometimes fall into the mode of talking the way others talk.  But we need to think of what we are saying. Instead of “Good luck,” how much better to say, “Be blessed,” “God be with you,” or “I’ll be praying for you.”

Let’s live by Psalm 37:4-5.  We are told to delight ourselves in the LORD.   When we do, we are promised that  He will give us the desires of our heart.  A condition is this: Commit your way to the LORD; trust also in Him, and He will do it.

When we commit our lives day by day to the Lord and delight in Him, He puts His desires within us and then brings them to pass.  So who needs luck?