Every March for as long as I can remember, I have filled out a bracket for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. When I was younger, the objective was to pick whoever had the funniest names — you would think that Creighton and Butler were elite programs the way I sent them to the final rounds year after year.
Now, I try to add a bit of strategy. It wouldn’t be March without a few upsets and maybe even a Cinderella story, so naturally I like to throw in a few hopeful picks. Unfortunately, this year I chose to carry No. 12 University of Akron into the Sweet 16 along with Brigham Young University; however, those dreams crashed and burned in round one. In true March fashion, No. 11 University of Texas upset No. 6 BYU, and after a few more losses my bracket is officially busted far before the Final Four.
In my almost two decades of experience creating a bracket, there is one thing I have realized: my predictions never come true.
Sure, I may have gotten lucky choosing High Point University to make it to the second round this year, but my Final Four selections rarely match up with who makes the cut. Thankfully, for the sake of my credibility as a sports journalist, I am not alone in this.
In a tradition that has spanned nearly 50 years, no one has ever created a perfect bracket. Each year thousands try, yet none have ever succeeded. As time drags on, the question remains: is it even possible?
In a way, this tradition of trying to achieve this level of perfection reflects the way we try to plan our lives. Just as I map my bracket out each spring, I try to craft the blueprints for how I want my future to look. But, just as basketball is unpredictable, so is life.
I am reminded of Proverbs 19:21, which says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
As humans, we are so used to things not going the way we envisioned, and oftentimes it leads to sadness and frustration. However, when we realize that God is the author of our lives, it puts things into an eternal perspective. We must remember that while we are so focused on picking where we are going in the first round, the Lord has the championship game in mind.
So, whether you find yourself distraught over another year with a busted bracket or discover your goals failing you once again, take heart in knowing that the Lord’s plan will prevail.
Just as it says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Though we do not always see it, the Lord will work it out in the end. Even if that means another year being let down by your college basketball team, God has the glory in all things.
White is the editor in chief for the Liberty Champion.