Redefining Luck as Blessings

“You’re so lucky.”

How often have we said that?

But is it really luck? Do we have the luck of the Irish, of a fun-loving leprechaun, of a four-leaf clover? Or is our luck something other than luck?

We aren’t lucky. We are blessed. That word choice points to God. He is in control. Not luck.

In Deuteronomy 28, Moses writes of blessings for obedience. All these blessings will come upon you if you obey the Lord your God. He doesn’t write that you will be lucky when you come in and lucky when you go out. Rather, he writes in verse 6, You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. Blessed. That word holds the power of God.

I love words. Crafting them. Using them to communicate, to create literary art and, yes, as a way to connect people to Jesus. I didn’t happen upon my love of words and of writing by luck. God instilled this in me, then opened doors to grow my interest, skills and opportunities. Luck didn’t land me at Warner Press and this blog. God connected me to people here who embraced me and my writing. What a blessing to be part of this faith family.

It is a blessing also to embrace you here as you read these words. I appreciate the opportunity to share my stories, scripture, insights and more. I invite you to also share yours in our comments section below.

That leads me to the importance of expressing ourselves, especially our gratitude for others. Maybe you, like me, have said or written, “I’m lucky to have you in my life.” Nope, we’re not lucky. We’re blessed, and we need to say or write that. “You are a blessing to me.” Then define specifically why.

Recently, my church began recognizing volunteers. I love this idea of blessing individuals with positive words published in the monthly church newsletter. Scripture tells us repeatedly to thank God and sing His praises. We can do that indirectly by thanking individuals whom we are blessed—not lucky—to have on our ministry teams, in our faith families.

Certificates of appreciation, notes jotted in cards, inspirational bookmarks or anything that conveys a message of gratitude blesses those who bless us. Chocolate works for me.

I think of my Bible study group. We’ve been together for years, meeting twice monthly in our homes. We enjoy snacks and conversation before delving into God’s Word. We always end with prayers. That time of sharing concerns before praying connects us as part of a loving and caring faith family. We’ve grieved, celebrated, faced health challenges, and gone through really difficult times as parents. Together. I know I can count on this group of friends to extend care and compassion and pray for me and my family. I am thankful for their presence in my life, which has nothing to do with luck, but with God’s blessings.

I may not be Irish or a believer in luck. But I do appreciate this time-honored Irish blessing:

May the road rise up to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

May the rains fall softly upon your fields,

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Audrey Kletscher Helbling is blessed to have an Irish uncle who married into her German family. Her Uncle Robin hails from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He does not, however, have red hair, freckles or pointy ears. But he does speak with an Irish brogue.