There are moments in our lives when luck doesn’t seem to be on our side. The things we desire are denied to us in a brutal way, and feelings of despair, sorrow, anger, and disappointment flood our hearts. Suddenly, we find ourselves lost, standing in front of a brick wall in the middle of our life’s journey. Our dreams and desires have been taken away, doors have closed, and our hopes and illusions have vanished. Confused and upset, we try to find a reason for our misfortune. We ask ourselves, again and again, “Why?” But the answer remains elusive—until now.

Sometimes, no matter what we do or how hard we try, life insists on denying us the things we yearn for. We may begin to believe that life is all about luck and that we belong to the group with the worst luck. But what if I told you that what seems like bad luck is, in fact, good luck in disguise? What if those moments of misfortune are exactly what we need to achieve better outcomes? What if they are protecting us from even worse luck, giving us the chance for a brighter future? What if life has to deny us certain things so that we can receive something better?

The truth is that, in many cases, what appears to be bad luck is actually an opportunity in disguise—an opportunity to take a different path, a better path, to grow, improve, and evolve. These moments challenge us to create the things we truly want and deserve, things that will bring out the best version of ourselves. However, when life snatches away the possibility of attaining what we desire, we feel nothing but pain. Our hearts break, and we struggle to find a reason to justify such a sacrifice. We tell ourselves that everything happens for a reason, but in those moments, that reason can seem nonexistent, impossible to discover, or utterly senseless. Days pass, and we remain immersed in sorrow, sinking deeper into the darkness.

“You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from.” – Cormac McCarthy

But eventually, that reason becomes visible. The things that happen to us, the things we were unable to attain, are not mere coincidences. They were meant to be because life isn’t about luck. Life is not a game of chance where some win more than others. It may seem that way, but the truth is that we create our own luck. If life denies us something we want, it’s because it’s giving us a chance to expand our limits, reinvent ourselves, and become the source of our own fortune.

Looking back on my past, I realize that some of the events that seemed like bad luck at the time now appear to be good luck. Why? Because from where I stand today, I can see that without those moments of “bad luck,” my life would be very different, and I wouldn’t have achieved what I have. Those moments of misfortune were, in fact, crucial to my current success.

“Every time I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being re-directed to something better.” – Steve Maraboli

You can choose to be a victim of your circumstances, to accept that luck is not in your favor, and to surrender control of your life, becoming a slave to your “bad luck” and at the mercy of fate. Or you can choose to rewrite your story, understanding that every moment of “bad luck” hides an opportunity for greater fortune. If we are patient, if we don’t lose hope, if we allow time to reveal the truth about our so-called luck, and if we choose to move forward and reinvent ourselves, we will eventually see the reasons for our past struggles. And we will thank God and life for those moments when we didn’t get what we wanted because they pushed us to the edge, forced us out of our comfort zone, and led us to discover new paths, new ways, new lives, and new versions of ourselves.

Some doors are meant to remain closed. Some are closed so we can find a way to open them again, and others are closed so that we can find doors that lead to something better. Trust that everything happens for a good reason, and your faith will help bring that reason to light. Your commitment and perseverance will shape your destiny and create your own luck.