We Call It Luck. God Calls It a Plan.

Do You Believe in Luck?

Welcome back to the Beauty and Burnt Toast podcast. Today we have an interesting episode which is is it luck or is it God? How many times have we said that's luck or what a coincidence? Um but sometimes that wasn't luck at all.

That was God working behind the scenes in ways that we didn't even know. So Jade, do you believe in luck or believe everything happens for a reason?

I do not believe in luck at all. Okay.

I believe everything happens for a reason because I believe God has a plan and in the end

it's his decision.

Amen.

So you feel like if you have moments where you're like, "Oh, that was perfectly timed." Or what a coincidence that you believe that it was on God's timing.

It was God's plan.

Absolutely.

Well, I agree with that because there's a song and it goes on time God. And I love that song. So I just feel like it's always on God's time and if something happens where we're like, "Oh, that was strange." It's probably because God was doing something.

Yes.

And I grew up with the saying God wink where it's not luck, but it's like, "Oh, that was God sprinkling something in."

Yeah.

And I feel like that I I believe in that. I believe God will, you know, do some things that make you kind of like sit up straight and be like, "What was that?" Um, but well, we just have to remember that um he is sovereign and we do have free will,

but we are also not puppets.

Yeah. and he has the final say and the final choice is to fulfill whatever his plan is. So what the enemy meant for evil, God can turn it for good.

I mean, there's so many people that we have had um on this podcast that went through so much and I think they could have never imagined where they are today. But he took all of those bad decisions and turned them into something

for good. Yeah.

Proverbs 16:9 and the Guests Who Changed Course

So that's why I don't believe in love. So, Proverbs, Proverbs, I'll say that right. 16:9 says, "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." And I think that goes really well with what I was just saying about the people that come on here.

Looking Back and Seeing God's Guidance

Well, so I do I like this question. Okay.

Um, have you ever looked back on something and realized God might have been guiding you? So, I feel like I've seen that a lot lately in my life. And I don't know what that's going to look like.

I don't know where exactly I'm going, but um I've seen some closed doors, things I didn't necessarily think were going to happen and closed doors that I feel like are coming. And in the past, I would have not liked that.

I probably would have been kicking and screaming, but now I know that that all is happening for a reason. And I just have to have comfort in knowing that the Lord has orchestrated that even to the point of putting certain people in my life.

Like there are a lot of people that I know were not put here that were put here for a reason. um either to comfort me or help me through a certain part of life. I mean like who really meets on TikTok. I mean seriously like

that I don't think that's just random.

No.

And like even like um Taylor that was at SA like she reached out to me on Facebook and then we had coffee and got to know each other. Like it's

I don't think that's coincidence either.

No. No. I feel like I think when people think of luck, they think of something that's like super big or super, you know, like it's like in your face

like the lottery or something where it's like, oh, like I know that this is luck.

Um, but I do feel like sometimes God shows himself

in like smaller ways. So, it could be just like a conversation or like you said, a door closing or a door opening or someone coming into your life or an unexpected opportunity. I feel like that's not luck, but that's God's guidance.

Kind of like what we were talking about of God guiding you.

Yeah.

And I think that sometimes it's not super uh

I don't the word I don't know the word I'm thinking of just in your face. Yeah. Sometimes it's more um subtle. So,

well, even people giving you

a word like a confirmation or or something like that. Like that's not a huge thing, but it might be just what you need to take the next step,

right?

And for some reason, I have Lucky in my head right now. Like that Britney Spears song. You know what I'm talking about? I've heard it.

Ruth and Boaz: God Working Behind the Scenes

That is going over in my head and I can't stop it right now. Anyways, well, I want to talk about when God works behind the scenes. And a great um reference to that is Ruth and Boaz.

when ROF ROF when ROF Ruth arrived to the field belonging to Boaz um from her point of view it could have been like accidental like oh wasn't expecting this but when you're in the reading of Ruth 2 through3 and kind of that area of the Bible um you see that it's not just like an accident that it's attached to something that's a lot bigger than what she initially thought.

Um, so question, do you think Ruth knew God was working in that moment or do you think she was just thinking like, oh, yeah, I don't think we can ever really see the big picture? I mean, very rarely do I know something is a God thing until I'm like down the road and looking back.

I mean, sometimes I'm like, "Oh, yeah, that was definitely God." But but very rarely. So, I would say she probably didn't know in the moment.

Well, I think like some people know, oh, this like this is my man. God gave me this man of God.

Um, and I will marry him. I don't necessarily think Ruth was going down that path right off the bat.

Like, it eventually grew into something, but I don't think initially she was like, "Oh, this is his field and we're going to get married and everything." So, um, you know, I think she wasn't expecting it.

And I think for a lot of us, that's kind of how it is where it's looking back and you're like, "Oh,

yeah.

I didn't realize, but God was a part of that whole thing and now I'm seeing it." Like, now my eyes are open to it.

When Disappointment Leads to Something Beautiful

Well, so I see this question that we have that says, "Have you ever experienced a disappointment that eventually led to something beautiful?" And I know like this is a whole series of events, but I went to school for fashion. I wanted to be in management really bad.

And once I got there, I realized, you know, the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side. It wasn't necessarily what I thought it would be. It was a little bit disappointing. And I never thought I would be in real estate.

never wanted to do that, but it was definitely a blessing and I met a lot of great people and I never would have seen that coming. But um I also think that it took all of that series of events to get me to where I am now because

yeah,

if I was still working retail, I would not be able to do any of this because that's so lifeconsuming.

Yeah. Yeah. I think, you know, that can also go into like losing relationships, losing friendships and stuff where it's like, man, that's disappointing that I lost

feel like you're dying in the midst of that.

But then God will provide something else, someone else or

Yeah. Looking back, it's like, thank you, Jesus, for taking that person out of

I mean, he will renew. He will replenish. So, he will give you people that you need in your life. If you're, you know, you lose one, you need another. Yes.

And so I have that mentality when it goes into like, oh, something disappointing is happening like it will turn around for the good.

Yes, it definitely will. Things are only for a season.

Yeah.

Unexpected Moments That Shaped Their Faith

So, I'll ask you this. Do you have a time when something unexpected happened that later became meaningful in your walk with God?

Um,

so I'll give you mine because I have one. I thought about this.

Okay. So, um, what comes to mind for me is a few years ago losing women in my life that were my rocks at the same time,

like two of them.

And I just did not know what to do with myself.

But now looking back, I don't think I would be here if that wouldn't have happened. So, while it sucked and it was hurtful in the morning, it pushed me into being what I am now.

Yeah,

I I get that.

I'd say like where I was living and feeling that spiritual shift to move and then doing it and not knowing where like we were going to be.

Yeah.

And then we ended up here which was like very random for like what we were thinking.

Is it random though?

No, it's God. Um but I mean it turned into helping me grow in my faith and going to you know some of the um events at the church and things that really helped me open my eyes to some uh generational

breakthroughs and different things like that. So, while I thought it was like, oh, this is a random place like feeling called here, uh, it really wasn't like luck or it wasn't like a coincidence. It was definitely intentional on God's side.

Every Good Gift Comes From Above

Well, speaking of God's guiding hand, I have a friend that the whole like church congregation pretty much picked up and just headed out, not really knowing where they were going,

pulled up in this driveway, ended up buying this house. Like, they just put it all in God's hands. And it just amazes me the faith of someone to just drive and let the Lord lead and figure it out. It's crazy.

Yeah.

Yeah. That's good. Um so James 11:17 says, "Every good gift and every every perfect gift is from above." So, you know, when God provides something, like for me, for instance, like we found we found a house here in this area and I felt like the Lord provided us with that.

Like it could have we were the first offer on the house. We were the only one that actually was intentional about going through with it and there was other people looking at the house. So, could have could have been anyone else, but God chose us to be there.

And so, you know, I think knowing that when you take that action, it's a gift from God and him showing you kind of what's on the table of, hey, this is what I'm doing in your life. Or you might not know, but you feel something in your spirit's happening.

I think giving thanks to God that he he provides gifts for us.

Is that always our first reaction though is to thank him.

No, I don't think maybe. You know, my problem is even taking the time to celebrate the good because I'm really bad about that. Just

so gung-ho about moving forward and what's next that I don't take the time to

sit down and

be grateful for a moment.

I think sometimes I don't reflect enough on how much God has provided in my life.

Yeah, that too.

And sometimes where I'm like, "Oh, well that was me." like, "Oh, well, I chose to go that direction." It's like, "No, the Holy Spirit never left you.

God was with you in that direction, and you can't take full credit."

Yeah.

So, sometimes we can overlook what God does in our life.

Yes. Definitely.

And you know,

or minimize it.

Yeah. Or sometimes we're we choose that we were God in a situation.

Yes. And we thank ourselves for the gift of choosing what we did when in reality it's like no we are supposed to give that to him and he provides and like we looked at him you know he doesn't look to us and be like oh you did that yourself like awesome

good job.

Is Saying "I Got Lucky" Taking Credit From God?

Um so I don't I don't think there's luck. I don't think it's I I got luck or

Yeah. Well do you think that saying I got lucky is kind of degrading to him? Yeah, I do.

Because you're kind of putting it in your court.

Yeah.

Like I got lucky instead of the like the Lord provided for me.

I think naturally we might bypass people that say that. Like if we were just to have a conversation with someone and they were saying something like, you know, I I was in a car crash and I got so lucky because I'm still here.

I wouldn't say like shame, but you know, it is something where it's like, hey man, like you're you're alive by grace of God. Like absolutely, you were covered.

Um, now I'm not saying that because they're saying it's luck, they don't believe in God or they don't believe that they were protected by God, but I do think, you know, there is the power of the tongue.

So, you're speaking life into something where you you should give credit to God for it. But you know, if you start believing like you're lucky in life, you it's a coincidence. It's just the universe telling you that this is for you. It's like,

well, it's his choice that you're here and not gone. He is the creator.

Yes. He could have taken you just like that,

Receiving Without Overanalyzing Every Sign

right? So, I think we can thank him without like assuming every little coincidence is some sign.

Yeah. Because then if we start overanalyzing of like, oh, is this a sign from God? Like I I don't think that we should be like that. I think we should be receptive to God, what you have for me, just

I'm here. Like you you I'm here. You do what you got to do. But I think if we start to be like, oh, like, you know, I got this opportunity for this to happen. Is this a sign from God? God, if this is you, then like show me.

I feel like that can get really because then it's like that's one not luck. Two,

yeah,

Romans 8:28, Unanswered Prayers, and Hard Seasons

like your own doing. So, I don't know. But, um, I think it's easy to talk about like what God's hand is doing in your life when it's good, but then like not really talk about it when prayers are unanswered and kind of stay hush hush about it.

And so Romans 8:28 talks about how God works all things together for those who love him and are called according to his purpose. It's important to realize like God is with you when you feel like your prayers aren't answered. Like he heard you.

Um you know it's most likely on you're expecting a time frame to happen that is not on his his time.

Yeah. um you know, we can't really understand God's timing or why it's not happening when we want. So, I think that that verse just shows us and gives us that it's like he's always there and we're called to where he's guiding us.

Well, we just have to remember that the hard seasons are there for a reason. They're there to strengthen us, to build us up, and sometimes even build a testimony to win someone else for the Lord. So, it might not necessarily be about you.

It might be him using you for someone else. So don't try to bypass the trials and the grief because you might help someone else in the end and testimonies are huge. Yep.

Especially as a Christian.

Giving God Credit in the Storm

Yeah. I think also a lot of people will credit God for the good, but then like undermine him for when things are tough even though he will he will bring you through some things that you got to walk on water for.

You got to you're going through a storm and you got to look towards him.

And so we also need to give him credit there too because you know I am proud that I have a God and I believe in a God that will hold my hand through the you know the pastures and the the light and easy and then through the storm where you're like I'm I'm being waterboarded right now.

So like I do appreciate and I need I need to give more credit to God when I am going to hard things because it's like Lord I know this is a rough season and you know like with a harvest sometimes it can be frozen over for the winter or whatever and when you're going through a season where you feel like you're dead there's stuff underneath.

There's still stuff underneath the dirt. There's still abundance there.

Yeah.

So

worshiping him when you aren't seeing the fruit yet.

Yeah.

Exactly.

God's Faithfulness Beyond the Outcome

We're talking to ourselves. Um, so overall, God's faithfulness isn't measured by how often life works out the way we want. Um, that's tough. And I think it's important to just recognize God,

not necessarily the coincidences, the the, "Oh, I just I got lucky with this or the algorithm blessed me." me it's like no there was an intention with God and getting to know him and recognize what he's doing doesn't only mean for the good but it means also hey if I'm going through something what do you think God's teaching me right now

because it's not a coincidence it's intentional um

yeah that's a good point to really think about what God is trying to show you

yeah because I believe everything does happen for a reason

Everything Happens for a Reason

and I think people that are not of faith will kind of also say that they might believe in something else that is not God or Jesus but they will believe everything happens for a reason like whether it's the universe or whether it's me like I choose my own destiny that's what some people say and so I think ultimately people understand everything does happen for a reason whether that was the creator of the world or something else and so

you know being able to see where God is working in your life is very helpful in you're just daytoday. And so I think recognize if you're overlooking blessings, if you're overlooking what God is working on in your life right now.

If you're maybe like Jade and I looking at the future and have some worries instead of sometimes being present and seeing what he's doing in the midst of us casting anxieties onto the future.

um and trusting him, trusting his character, knowing that what we read in the Bible is what we believe, what we read in the Bible is the same God. And so trusting his character even when you can't see the the future, can't see his plan.

Yeah,

that's very important.

Hearts That Recognize His Presence

So maybe the question isn't always whether something was luck or God. Maybe the deeper question is whether we're living with hearts that recognize his presence, trust his character, and give him thanks.

So, let's pay attention to what he's doing in our lives, and recognize his plan and his timing and his blessings for what they are instead of giving everything over to luck.

Yep.

So, we will see you next time.

Bye, guys. I guess.

Closing Prayer

Dear heavenly father, I pray over every woman that's been listening to this podcast and that you just allow them to know that your presence is always there and that there is no luck. That it is you. There is no coincidence. It is on your time.

Let them know that they are able to be with you and give the credit to you even when it's not necessarily a good thing. Lord, give them comfort when they're going through hard times.

Allow them to have the courage and the confidence to walk on water with their eyes towards you and not other things. Allow them to give you the overall praise for what you are doing in their life. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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