If you’ve ever found yourself looking at someone else’s life and wondering how they got so “lucky,” you’ll agree that luck isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

In our house growing it up, “lucky” was almost a bad word. I didn’t quite understand it at the time, but now I see why our parents steered us away from the idea of luck. When we think of luck, we think of chance, of the stars aligning for some but not others, of something completely random and unknowable.

God’s plan doesn’t involve luck.

St. Patrick would probably agree with that statement since his life is one that would not necessarily be considered “lucky” to most. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped from Roman Britain and brought to Ireland as a slave. I’m sure that’s not quite how he imagined spending his teenage years. He later escaped, but not because of luck. It was clear God had a plan, because he would later return to Ireland to bring the Gospel to its people, using the clover (shamrock) to explain the Trinity.

“GOD’S PLAN DOESN’T INVOLVE LUCK, IT INVOLVES LOVE.”

Here are three reasons God’s love for His children is better than luck:

1. God’s love is on purpose.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” – Romans 8:28-30

“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” – Proverbs 16:33

Luck is used to describe something passive, something random. God’s love for us is neither passive nor random. God is sovereign, omniscient and just. That means that His love played out for us in His plan is purposeful. Nothing is left to luck or chance. And when we don’t understand what He is doing or why He may be allowing something, we can find rest in the assurance of His goodness, His grace and His perfect love.

2. God’s love is perfect.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” – James 1:17

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!…” – 1 John 3:1

Did you catch that? God’s gifts are good and perfect. My husband is an excellent gift-giver. He always seems to come up with the most creative gifts that he knows will bless me. Yet, even his gifts don’t measure up to what God offers us.

“WE NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GOD BEING WISHY-WASHY OR UNRELIABLE OR MISLEADING. HE ALWAYS DESIRES OUR GOOD. HIS LOVE NEVER ENDS.”

God’s gifts are only good and only perfect and they can never be taken back. God lavishes gifts on us like unconditional love, forgiveness, eternal life, righteousness, the right to be called His children. All we have to do is accept them. I’d take that any day over a lucky break.

3. Luck changes, God doesn’t.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” – Hebrews 13:8

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” – Isaiah 40:8

If we look at someone’s life and determine that they are lucky based on their life circumstances, there is one thing we can be sure of: it can all change. Wealth can be stripped away. Relationships can end. Jobs can be lost. Health can deteriorate. Beauty fades.

But God…He is unchanging. His Word lasts forever. We never have to worry about God being wishy-washy or unreliable or misleading. He always desires our good. His love never ends.

So instead of wishing for luck, you can know that you have something far better: the love of the Creator of the universe!

What about you? Why would you choose God’s love over luck?