A while ago my son’s and I were watching the game show ‘Deal or No Deal’. My younger son’s eyes lit up as he exclaimed ‘Imagine if you knew which box had the prize in it? If only we knew the right box we would win every time.’
If only. It’s a phrase that can haunt us and torture us sometimes. ‘If only I had bought that beach side property 10 years ago. If only I had known those shares would double in value.’ Or more personally, ‘If only I had thought a little longer before reacting in anger, if only I had forgiven sooner, if only I had told them I loved them more often?’
Life is not a game show where random choices determine the outcome or where luck is the difference between success and failure. The Bible reminds us that success in life comes from wisdom and good choices, not luck.
“All wisdom comes from the Lord, and so do common sense and understanding.
God gives helpful advice to everyone who obeys him and protects all of those who live as they should. God sees that justice is done, and he watches over everyone who is faithful to him”
As the saying goes, ‘common sense is not all that common’. I’m wise enough to know that I’m not smart enough to get things right on my own. Having a relationship with God brings revelation, understanding and peace; a reassurance that even when we don’t know ‘which box to pick’ God is watching over and protecting us. A life with God means that we no longer have to make choices on our own but through prayer and God’s word we have access to His wisdom and His perspective.