We live in a culture obsessed with luck. Athletes wear lucky socks, gamblers have lucky numbers, and even Christians sometimes catch themselves saying, “I got lucky” when good things happen. But this raises a crucial question for believers: In a world governed by an all-sovereign God, is there any room for Lady Luck?

The Reformed tradition gives us a clear, Scripture-backed answer: Absolutely not. Divine sovereignty and random chance cannot coexist because they represent fundamentally opposing views of reality.

 

CAN GOD AND LUCK CO-EXIST? THE BATTLE OF WORLDVIEWS

When we speak of “Lady Luck,” we’re describing a worldview where some events happen without divine cause, purpose, or meaning. It’s the idea that certain things occur “just because”—random, purposeless, beyond anyone’s control, even God’s.

But Scripture presents a radically different picture. Biblical sovereignty insists God actively governs every detail of creation, from the grandest cosmic events to the smallest sparrow’s fall. This isn’t passive permission but active rule over all things.

As the psalmist declares, “Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps” (Psalm 135:6). Notice there are no exceptions, no asterisks, no fine print excluding certain events from God’s sovereign control.

 

CAN GOD AND LUCK CO-EXIST? SCRIPTURE’S ASSAULT ON CHANCE

The Bible systematically dismantles any notion of pure chance or randomness. Consider these powerful passages:

• Even “Random” Events Are Governed: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33). Ancient peoples used lots—essentially dice—to make decisions, believing the outcome was random. Yet Scripture declares even these apparently chance events are determined by God.
• Nothing Is Too Small: Jesus teaches “not one sparrow will fall to the ground apart from your Father” and that “even the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:29-30). If God governs sparrows and hair follicles, what exactly escapes His sovereign control?
• Human Decisions Are Included: “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1). Even the decisions of powerful rulers flow according to God’s sovereign direction.
• Apparent Disasters Too: The prophet Isaiah records God’s own words: “I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things” (Isaiah 45:7). Even events we might attribute to “bad luck” fall under divine sovereignty.

 

ANSWERING THE HARD QUESTIONS

This biblical teaching raises legitimate questions that deserve honest answers.

“But what about free will?” Reformed theology teaches compatibilism—human responsibility operates within divine sovereignty. We make real choices according to our nature, but God ultimately governs even our nature itself. As Paul explains, “It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). We choose freely, but never independently of God’s sovereign will.

“Doesn’t this make God the author of sin?” Scripture is clear “God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13). God’s eternal decree includes both primary and secondary causes. He ordains that events occur through human agency and natural processes, while He Himself remains perfectly holy. The Westminster Confession wisely states God’s decree renders events “certainly come to pass” without doing “violence to the will of the creatures.”

“What about quantum mechanics and genuine randomness?” Modern science has revealed apparent randomness at the subatomic level, but Scripture teaches God’s sustaining power extends to every level of reality. Paul declares in Christ “all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). What appears random to our limited perspective remains under God’s comprehensive control.

 

TRANSFORMING HOW WE LIVE

Understanding divine sovereignty radically changes how we approach daily life.

1. When Good Things Happen: Instead of crediting luck or chance, we recognize God’s kindness. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). That parking spot, that job opportunity, that avoided accident—all expressions of divine grace, not lucky breaks.
2. When Hard Things Come: Rather than cursing “bad luck,” we trust that our sovereign God has purpose in every trial. Paul assures us that “for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). This doesn’t mean all things are pleasant, but that all things serve God’s good purposes for His people.
3. When Making Decisions: We replace superstitious practices with prayerful dependence. Instead of relying on horoscopes, lucky charms, or “gut feelings,” we trust God’s wisdom and make decisions according to His revealed will. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

 

THE COMFORT OF NO ACCIDENTS

Perhaps the greatest blessing of divine sovereignty is the peace it brings. In God’s world, there are no meaningless accidents, no purposeless tragedies, no random disasters that catch Him off guard.

The psalmist knew this comfort: “My times are in your hand” (Psalm 31:15). Your times—every moment, every circumstance, every joy and sorrow—rest securely in God’s sovereign control.

This means the car accident that changed your life, the job loss that seemed devastating, the chance meeting that led to marriage—none of these were the products of impersonal fate or Lady Luck. Each was woven into God’s perfect plan for your good and His glory.

Even our days themselves are sovereignly determined: “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:16).

 

REJECTING FALSE ALTERNATIVES

Scripture explicitly condemns attempts to discover the future or control outcomes through superstitious means. Moses warned Israel against “anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens” (Deuteronomy 18:10). These practices assume forces other than God control events—exactly what belief in luck implies.

Christians must reject not only obvious superstitions like astrology and fortune-telling, but also subtler forms of the same error: lucky numbers, superstitious rituals, or any practice that suggests some force other than God governs events.

 

CONCLUSION: THE ANSWER IS CLEAR

Can God and Luck co-exist? Scripture answers with a resounding no. Every event, every circumstance, every apparent coincidence flows from the sovereign decree of our all-wise, all-loving God.

This isn’t cold, impersonal determinism but the warm embrace of divine providence. The same God who numbers our hairs and notes every sparrow’s fall has written our names on His hands and promised nothing can separate us from His love.

In a world obsessed with luck and chance, Christians offer something far better: the unshakeable assurance that our lives rest in the hands of One who works all things according to the counsel of His will. That’s not luck—that’s grace.

So the next time we’re tempted to credit fortune for life’s blessings or blame bad luck for its trials, let’s remember: we serve a God for whom nothing is accidental, nothing is meaningless. And nothing—absolutely nothing—happens by chance.

 

CAN GOD AND LUCK CO-EXIST? RELATED FAQs

How do we respond when someone says “good luck” to us? We can graciously accept their well-wishes while internally recognising our outcomes rest in God’s hands, not luck. A simple “thank you” shows appreciation for their kindness without endorsing their worldview. Some Christians prefer responding with “I’ll trust God for the outcome” or “Either God exists or luck does. I’d appreciate your prayers” when appropriate.

• If God controls everything, why do some Christians seem to have more “lucky breaks” than others? God’s sovereignty doesn’t guarantee equal earthly blessings for all believers. Scripture teaches God distributes gifts, opportunities, and circumstances according to His perfect wisdom and timing, not according to a merit system. Some believers face more trials to develop character, while others receive more apparent blessings to serve His purposes—both experiences flow from divine love.
• What about games of chance like poker or lottery tickets—are these sinful for Christians? While Scripture doesn’t explicitly forbid all forms of gambling, the underlying philosophy of “luck-based” games contradicts divine sovereignty. More concerning are the associated sins: coveting what belongs to others, trusting in riches rather than God, and the addictive potential that destroys families. Christians should avoid activities that depend on “beating the odds” rather than faithful stewardship.

How do I maintain gratitude rather than presumption when good things happen? May we recognise every blessing flows from God’s grace, not our deserving or good fortune. Let’s cultivate the habit of immediately thanking God for positive outcomes rather than congratulating ourselves on “good luck.” Remember, even our ability to work hard or make wise decisions comes from God’s enablement (1 Corinthians 4:7).

• How can I trust God’s sovereignty without becoming fatalistic about planning and effort? God’s sovereignty includes His ordinary use of human means to accomplish His purposes. Scripture commands diligent work, careful planning, and prudent decision-making while acknowledging God’s ultimate control over outcomes. Think of yourself as God’s instrument rather than an independent agent—you plan and work vigorously because God typically works through faithful human effort.
• How should I respond when unbelievers dismiss Christianity because “everything’s predetermined anyway”? Explain that Reformed theology teaches compatibilism, not hard determinism. We make real, meaningful choices for which we’re genuinely responsible, even though God sovereignly governs all things. God’s decree doesn’t eliminate human agency but establishes the framework within which authentic choice operates. This preserves both God’s sovereignty and human accountability.

How do I find purpose in suffering without blaming God for evil? Recognise God can sovereignly ordain events without being morally responsible for human sin. He works through secondary causes (human choices, natural processes) while remaining perfectly holy. Your suffering has divine purpose even when caused by others’ sinful choices or natural disasters. Focus on how God uses trials to conform us to Christ’s image rather than questioning His goodness (Romans 8:28-29).

 

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