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 3:11 (NIV)

It is not always the fastest, strongest, smartest, or most skilled person who succeeds or wins. Ordinary people can sometimes make the most extraordinary difference if they dare to seize their God-given opportunity.

When Solomon says, "Time and chance happen to them all," he means that everything in life is about seizing opportunities and turning vision into action. It all boils down to being the right person at the right time in the right place. Joseph is a wonderful role model for us. Through big dreams, heartbreaks, betrayals, and imprisonment, God prepared Joseph to be the ideal person to save a nation from famine. He even saved his own family in the process.

When God speaks, sometimes the opposite occurs.

You may encounter opposition or disapproval from unexpected sources, struggle with self-doubt and insecurity, fear of failure, and deal with unbelief. It's even worse when you feel like others are getting ahead of you and your life lacks direction and purpose.

Even if nothing seems to be going right for you, don't give up.

You may believe that God has forgotten about you, but He knows exactly where you are and how to get you to where He wants you to be. Choose to be at peace with yourself—and to learn to trust God's timing. Even Jesus had to go through a process before He could go to the Cross. Jesus knew He had to be about His Father's business at the age of twelve, but He did not begin His public ministry until He was thirty years old.

God does not take any shortcuts when it comes to getting you ready.

This is necessary because God is aware of the obstacles that can prevent you from fulfilling your life's purpose and destiny. You should learn to rely on God's perfect timing. By doing so, you may gain an advantage over those who are more qualified or better positioned than you.