Time & Chance

I returned and saw under the sun that - the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

Things don’t always turn out the way we think they will. It is not always the wise that win or the talented that get promoted. Good does not always triumph over evil this side of eternity. However, even in the midst of incongruity and injustice, time and chance happen to all.

Time speaks of process. It is the everyday and the mundane. It is the unseen aspect of our lives where we consistently do what we are required to do. This is the daily grind that reveals our character, tries our dreams, and teaches us to rely upon the Lord.

Chance speaks of opportunity. It is the divine moments, the open doors, the release of favour, the possibility of promotion. Chance is what we long for in life. It is the “suddenly’s” of God that we dream will one day happen. According to Ecclesiastes, they happen to all. All however are not positioned to take advantage of them. Many miss their moment because they do not have the qualities that time provides. They have not walked the hard yards or persevered in the difficult moments. Their character has not been developed by the process of time. 

The order in the verse above reveals that it is time and chance, not chance and time. It is the stewardship of time that prepares us to handle the opportunity of chance. Many live waiting for the open door, looking for the promotion, praying for favour but not valuing time or building the strength of process that enables them to capitalise on chance. Chance is a moment. Chance is something that must be laid hold of. It requires faith, yet it is stewarded by faithfulness. It demands courage that has been forged through endurance. It is the risk of the moment that is built upon the consistency of the journey. 

Time and chance happen to all, but not all receive of its blessing. To do so we must dream of the future as we steward the now. For it is time and chance that unite faith with faithfulness, courage with consistency, and the favor of God with the devotion of man.