This month, FemmeFuel will be featuring the theme of Luck v. Faith. Do you tend to think the concept of random “luck” plays more into your life, rather than the will of God? Do you believe that your actions in life are dictated by fate or chance, as opposed to the divine intervention of God? Maybe you believe in a combination of all of the above?

To kickstart this month, take a look at this article originally published in Relevant Magazine, by Jim Palmer, the author of Divine Nobodies, and Wide Open Spaces.

“The concept of luck relates to circumstances. People hope for “good luck,” which implies something positive happening, and fear “bad luck,” which is equated with some unfortunate occurrence. The entire mentality is based on the fallacy that our well-being is contingent upon our circumstances.

Christians sometimes share in this fallacy by living as if their peace, security, identity, worth, identity, purpose, contentment and fulfillment are determined by circumstances. The value of God is seen in His ability to influence life’s situations for the good or offer protection from adversity or misfortune. One of the most common forms of prayer is asking God to intervene and change our circumstances. We often equate God’s “blessing” with things going our way.

Jesus continuously pressed people to see that the source of their deepest desires was not outside themselves but inside them. Jesus announced that God’s kingdom had come… Jesus said they needed to look inside themselves to find this kingdom. Jesus also taught that we could experience His Spirit alive inside us. Paul discovered that this kingdom and divine presence within him was the secret to his contentment. He wrote in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Pretty impressive for a guy who often seemed “down on his luck”―imprisoned, beaten, hungry, and shipwrecked…three times!”

–Jim Palmer, from the article, Leprechauns, Luck and Seeing Life Differently