I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the strong, and neither is bread to the wise nor riches to those of intelligence and understanding nor favor to men of ability, but time and chance overtake them all. (Eccl 9: 11-12)
The fastest runners and greatest heroes don’t always win in the race and battles of life; time and chance happen to all. This statement is true but it doesn’t mean that you should sit back and expect luck or a chance to make your life as successful as you desire. Nobody succeeds accidentally; successful people employ several strategies.
If you desire to win in life, you should become skillful in what you do and continue to hone your skill to become strong and swift in that mountain of life that God has allocated to you. Notice that just before the preacher made that statement in v11, he said in v10 that whatever your hands find to do, you should do it with all your might. Even if what your hands find to do is not your passion at the moment, do it so well that it fetches you enough money to build what you love and gives you the opportunity to make a choice to go in the direction you wish. Financial freedom gives you the opportunity to make a choice.
Get as much knowledge, understanding, and wisdom as possible in different aspects of life, but don’t put your trust in your skill, speed, strength, and wisdom. Pray to God for favor and opportunities that will bring speed, success, and wealth. Get ready and capable to handle opportunities but don’t put your confidence in your ability.
This scripture also means that you shouldn’t consider your level of strength as the determinant of your outcome in the race of life and destiny. Don’t think you would always be behind certain strong people. Rather, consider the God who rules over heaven and earth, who has power over everyone and everything living inside of you. He is the most important factor in your life and He is able to do beyond what you can imagine or ask him to do.
Dream big, get trained and be ready for opportunities that God has arranged on your path. They may look like chances but take them seriously. Let the Holy Spirit guide you to the ones that are earmarked for you and as soon as you are sure, quickly latch on them. Don’t drag! An opportunity lost may mean the difference between wealth and poverty, fame and obscurity to two people with similar skill, strength, and intelligence.
See you at the top.