Atmosphere Is Key

I was reading a gaming magazine (research, I SWEAR, honey) and the editor, as most editors do, gave a bit of a blurb at the front, a "From The Desk" note. In it, he described the games of 2008, separating the bad from the good, and the good from the REALLY great. The one thing that sets the impressive games apart from the not-so, he offered, was due to one thing.

ATMOSPHERE.

If the game can transport you, enwrap you, and keep you submersed in a totally different atmosphere, where you lose your sense of surrounding (and time, if you've ever played Final Fantasy), then you'll most likely find it on every Top Ten list for games in 2008.

And, as most things do, it got me thinking.

Atmosphere. The surrounding. I guess it shouldn't surprise me that atmosphere is probably the most important thing. You can't be creative, peaceful, focused, relaxed, enraptured without the right atmosphere.

How many times have you sat down to accomplish some task and it just doesn't feel right?

Atmosphere.

How many times have you gone to see a movie that got terrible reviews, and like, 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, and you had an awesome time because of the people you were with and the crowd? Paul Blart, anyone?

Atmosphere.

In college, I got the best grade in composition class on a piece where we could only pick four notes and one instrument to write a whole piece. I figured, since I was limited by the notes and the instrument, there was nothing in the rules that said I couldn't manipulate the environment. So, I wrote a piece for piano about the crucifixion, turned out the lights in the classroom, lit candles, had someone read passages from Matthew as I slammed the lid to the piano to mimic the nails being hammered into Christ's hands. I got an A.

Atmosphere.

So, should it be any different for ministry? Isn't that what we are striving for, an atmosphere conducive for healing? For restoration? For peace? For the Holy Spirit to work, and move, and do His thing?

If you're having problems, change the atmosphere. Music works best. Different scenery works second best. If you're frustrated in your current place, move. It doesn't have to be to a different state in the union, either. It can just be to a different state of mind.

Atmosphere. Man, that's a big revelation. I think I'll start doing that.