It’s true, I have now been officially cheered up … after having been officially saddened.

… The Toronto Maple Leafs’ loss in game 7 to Montreal was particularly hard to take this year. There was more expectation for the team than ever before. They finished first in their division in I don’t know how long. They were the favourite to come out of the North Division.

So when the Leafs lost to the Habs, I felt a crushing in my spirit. I had a sadness that went deep and didn’t want to leave. 

But the other day I had my sadness lifted. It happened quickly and completely unexpectedly.

Team Canada won the IIWHF World Championships! 

And what cheered me so much about this win was how they did it. 

They were not favoured to win. My wife, Lily, had asked me who was on the team and I had replied, “You won’t know anyone.” There were only a few names I knew. No superstars on this team. 

Early on the team didn’t look good at all. They lost their first three games – a first for Canada.

It was ugly; they looked ugly.

One of our play-by-play announcers was interviewed on Swedish television and was asked if he was embarrassed by Team Canada. 

Team Canada went on to record 4 losses in the round robin portion of the tournament. 

It didn’t look good.

To get into the medal round, Team Canada needed a combination of a tie in regulation in their last game and two other teams deciding their games in regulation. 

It was a nail biter, but miraculously Canada managed to squeak into the quarter finals.

And from there the competition would just get more intense. This team that snuck into the playoff round had to face Russia and then the USA. 

It was a daunting task.

But Canada started to come alive and beat both those teams to make it to the gold medal game. 

The unthinkable had happened. How did they turn it around?

Who knows, but one Russian player commented, “Somehow when Canadians put on the Team Canada jersey they get better.”

Canada trailed Finland twice in the gold medal game, but tied it up both times. The game went to overtime and about six minutes in Canada scored to win the gold. 

Canada is the first team to ever start the World Tournament 0-3 and finish as champions. And no team in IIHF history at any top-level event has ever won gold after losing four games. 

Well, Canada did it with a bunch of guys you’ve never heard of, and a few you will hear about in the coming years. 

I’m proud of these guys. They stuck to it and didn’t give up. They just kept at it and formed together as a team until they won. 

It’s official: I am cheered.

Here’s the thing: There is a lot in life that can make you sad, disappoint you, and send you into a downward spiral. No one likes being there and sometimes it’s really difficult getting out of that condition. You need to know that God is the God of all comfort. When you are down, turn to Him, go to Him, trust Him with your sadness, worry and depression. He can lift you up out of it. It doesn’t seem possible and He does it in miraculous ways, but He can put joy back into your life in the midst of despair. Seek Him. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What has put you in the doldrums lately? Leave your comments and questions below.

Subscribe to my blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.