“I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11 KJV).
Chance is defined as “something that happens unpredictably without discernible human intention or observable cause; the assumed impersonal purposeless determiner of unaccountable happenings.”
But does anything actually happen by chance? Does anything happen that is not the consequence of a choice that is not the effect of a cause? Does anything happen that does not have either a spiritual and unobservable cause or natural and observable cause?
People often take chances or try their luck at great risk. But even these chances at luck are governed by a “primary cause” which is divine and a “secondary cause” which is creaturely. To take a chance is to leave something to random, to undertake something without definite method or aim or purpose. The dice (or lots) are cast and the coin is flipped as a random way of deciding an outcome. And yet the outcome of this so-called chance is caused by the Lord. “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing (arranging, order) thereof is of the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33). The result of a so- called chance is caused by God according to His sovereign will.
Is “chance” a reality, an entity? Are we really taking a chance when we choose to risk things on what we call fate? Those mentioned in the text are successful because they train and learn and prepare and don’t leave anything to chance. They have an aim, a method and a purpose in their planning. If they leave their success to chance, there’s a very good chance they won’t succeed.
If chance were a real entity it would be something that exists outside the control of God Who controls the universe. That is not possible, for God doesn’t leave anything to chance.
“All things come to pass by God’s wise providence. This means that we should adopt a much more ‘personal’ understanding of the universe and the events in it. The universe is not governed by impersonal fate or luck, but by a personal God. Nothing ‘just happens’- we should see God’s hand in events throughout the day, causing all things to work together for good for those who love Him.”
Sometimes when we step out by faith to do the will of God against insurmountable odds we may appear to be taking a chance. But, unlike, chance which is to do something at random without method or aim or purpose, faith is an act of obedience to God based on His power and promises and according to His method for the purpose of glorifying Him. Faith is an act of obedience to God’s will, at which humanly speaking, without the aid of His grace, we don’t stand a chance of being successful.