Fortune

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It occurred to me today that most of the situations that I worry and get anxious about turn out to be OK. However, there are a number of circumstances that come my way, that I have no way of predicting that are quite punishing emotionally or physically.

What I realised is that Jesus was right when he told us not to worry, but also that the concept of fortune actually makes a lot of sense. Sometimes nothing you do will work, other times everything just seems to go your way. It is seemingly completely unrelated to any other factors. And is certainly something out of my control.

*I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. (Ecclesiastes 9:11 NIV) *
This kind of verse seems to be a truism in real life, at least in my case!

Wondering what people thought about this and the Catholic stance on luck/ fortune, especially in terms of a lack of control over our circumstances and that good and bad will happen to us through no fault or merit of our own.
 
From Roy H. Schoeman’s conversion story:
I saw that everything which had ever happened in my life had been perfectly designed for my own good from the infinitely wise and loving hand of God, not only including but especially those things which I at the time I thought had been the greatest catastrophes.
 
davidarlette said:
It occurred to me today that most of the situations that I worry and get anxious about turn out to be OK. However, there are a number of circumstances that come my way, that I have no way of predicting that are quite punishing emotionally or physically.

What I realised is that Jesus was right when he told us not to worry, but also that the concept of fortune
Click to expand...
actually makes a lot of sense. Sometimes nothing you do will work, other times everything just seems to go your way. It is seemingly completely unrelated to any other factors. And is certainly something out of my control.

*I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. (Ecclesiastes 9:11 NIV) *
This kind of verse seems to be a truism in real life, at least in my case!

Wondering what people thought about this and the Catholic stance on luck/ fortune, especially in terms of a *lack of control over our circumstances and that good and bad will happen to us through no fault or merit of our own.*The Wisdom books have some very good insights don’t they?

Most often I have found that what I thought of as fortune, later turned out to display the compassionate hand of God.
 
Todd_Easton said:
From Roy H. Schoeman’s conversion story:
I saw that everything which had ever happened in my life had been perfectly designed for my own good from the infinitely wise and loving hand of God, not only including but especially those things which I at the time I thought had been the greatest catastrophes.
Click to expand...
That’s a neat conversion story. I think I want to get that guys book.
 
davidarlette said:
It occurred to me today that most of the situations that I worry and get anxious about turn out to be OK. However, there are a number of circumstances that come my way, that I have no way of predicting that are quite punishing emotionally or physically.

What I realised is that Jesus was right when he told us not to worry, but also that the concept of fortune actually makes a lot of sense. Sometimes nothing you do will work, other times everything just seems to go your way. It is seemingly completely unrelated to any other factors. And is certainly something out of my control.

*I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. (Ecclesiastes 9:11 NIV) *
This kind of verse seems to be a truism in real life, at least in my case!

Wondering what people thought about this and the Catholic stance on luck/ fortune, especially in terms of a lack of control over our circumstances and that good and bad will happen to us through no fault or merit of our own.
Click to expand...
Everyone’s heard the quote: “The devils in the details.”

While this may be true, its no where nearl as true as “God is in the details” continually working all things towards good for those who love Him.

Chuck
 
I was told that there is no such thing as luck. That God has good deeds planned out for us in advance, our days are numbered, etc. I held that such concepts as luck were anti-Christian.

One could say that if things go well, it is God blessing us.
If things go poorly, then God is teaching us patience, perseverance, building character. So whether I win the lottery or get terminal cancer it is working for my good. That seems like a cop-out to me.

Philosophically, the concept of fortune: that circumstances happen to us over which we have no control seems to tally far better with my experience of life.

Sure we all have moments like that Saint where God will open up a vista for us and allow us to see what he has done in our lives over a longer term, but on a day by day or week by week basis, fortune makes more sense.

I think it opens up a can of worms to say that God is in control of all aspects of life at this time. My concept has been that God keeps his hands off and lets many of the natural consequences of sin happen…for now. He allows rapes and murders, suicide bombers, theft and violence. You can just be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
 
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