January 1, 2024, was the first College Football Playoff game pitting the Michigan Wolverines against the Alabama Crimson Tide. It was the third year in a row that Michigan had made the playoffs but had yet to win a playoff game. I was excited and nervous, and my anxiety levels were sky-high. I’m not a player or even an alumnus of the University of Michigan, but I am a fan. A fan who had rejoiced when the team was great and suffered when the team was mediocre.
My team, the Wolverines, had endured many challenges this season and met each challenge with success. So, my expectations on this game day were sky-high! We would march down the field and score and score and score, and this day, we would cast off all doubters to prove we deserved to play for the National Championship!
A near miss
Then, on the very first play of the game, JJ McCarthy, our beloved quarterback, nearly threw an interception from deep on our end of the field. The horror, the doubt, the disappointment flooded over me! What was he thinking? Why did he make such a bone-headed play?? Then, relief, the defender had stepped out of bounds, and the play was ruled dead. We were ok; nothing was lost, no dramatic turn of the tide.
As the game progressed, my attitude declined. Every mistake our team made was amplified. A fumbled punt, several dropped passes, poor play calls, a missed field goal, and unsuccessful scoreless drives kept piling up, and, in my mind, hope for a championship was slipping away. I found myself completely focused on everything negative, and my behavior became inappropriate.
Yelling at my team, the officials, and the coaches, I lost the joy of being a fan and watching the game. I wasn’t cheering for my team, willing for them to improve, or even praying for their success, as I’m sure every fan of both teams was doing. I was mired in pointing out a hopeless stream of mistakes, weaknesses, and flaws. “You’re letting ME down.” “You’re failing ME.” Why didn’t they try harder? How could they keep making stupid mistakes?
A need to repent
We had not scored a point since late in the second quarter, and with 4:41 left in the game, Alabama made a field goal to go up 20-13, and I had had enough. We had lost for sure. I couldn’t watch anymore and left the room, disappointed in my team but more disappointed in myself. My behavior was inappropriate, and I needed to repent. Upstairs, away from everyone, I apologized to God for letting the game become more important to me than it should have been.
I meekly said, “God, I know this is just a football game, and I am not going to pray for my team to win because I’m sure everyone on both sides is doing that, and well, it is just a game, and I’m being silly. My behavior has not been Christlike, and I am ashamed. Would you please forgive me? I’m sorry, and whether we win or lose, it’s not about the game; it’s about how I act, and I will praise You either way. You are more important to me, amen.”
A new attitude
I returned downstairs with a new attitude and determined to cheer my boys on, win or lose! And a miracle finish began to unfold. With time running out in the game, the Wolverines drove 75 yards down the field for a touchdown! The game was tied and going into overtime. In just two plays in overtime, Blake Corum scored a touchdown! We could win!! Ahead 27-20, the Michigan defense held, and the game was over! We were headed to the National Championship! I was awestruck, speechless, and overjoyed!
The lesson
As the euphoria wore off and I pondered on the game, God taught me a beautiful lesson. “Roy,” the Spirit whispered, “you were focused on all the negative things and failed to find joy in the game as it unfolded because you didn’t know how the game would end.”
Then, these thoughts came flooding into my mind. Life is like that for so many of God’s children. We get caught up in focusing on weaknesses, failures, flaws, and sins. Are we blind to the small miracles scattered throughout our days and fail to see the hand of the Lord at work in our lives? A lost job, illness, sin, conflict with a family member, or countless other things distracts us from finding joy in our journey. We focus on the negative and start to believe that God doesn’t care about us or we’re just not important enough for Him to pay attention to us. We fail to keep hope alive and lose finding joy in the journey.
The winning team
Heavenly Father is the head coach. He has the winning game plan. He knows how the game will end! We are living at the end of the fourth quarter, and we can’t lose sight of the fact that we have eternity’s best quarterback, Jesus Christ, leading our team to victory.
Jesus has already run every play and dealt with every counter Satan has thrown His way. Just because we can’t see the final score yet, we don’t have to despair, we don’t have to doubt, and we don’t have to give in to hopelessness. Our finish will be miraculous indeed. Our victory is assured. All we need to do is let the game play out. We are God’s champions, and He can’t wait to award us the championship trophy of Celestial Glory!
Hail to the victors!
