In Apple TV+’s 2023 film, Tetris, Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton) and Alexey (Nikita Efremov) share a moment of peace as they celebrate correctly programing a new function in the original Tetris game. What makes this moment special is that it was amid a time of despair and darkness. What can we learn from this moment? Join us as Dallas walks us through this discussion.

Written Devotion

In 1984 the world was introduced to the world of Tetris. Little did they know Tetris would become one of the highest-selling game franchises ever. The story of this game’s creation and distribution is fascinating and was highlighted in the 2023 Apple TV+ film, “Tetris.” The film’s drama is based on Alexey creating the game while living in Soviet Russia. The dark political struggle is the backdrop not just of the film but Alexey’s world.

Yet amid this dark time, there’s a moment when Alexey and Henk are working together to improve the base coding of the game. They work tirelessly to rewrite the code and finally have success. Finally, they allow themselves a moment of celebration. During this celebration, Alexey acknowledges that you should allow yourself to celebrate small successes amid dark times.

This is a mindset that we need to learn to adopt. It is so easy to fall into the cycle of focusing and obsessing over the terrible things in our lives. Some pass it off, saying, “Well, I’m just a pessimist” or “I’m just a realist.” I’m not saying we should be honest about our situations, but we need to look for opportunities to give thanks consciously.

In the book of 1 Thessalonians, Paul gives the church these instructions:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Here Paul is encouraging the church to make a conscious and intentional effort to give thanks no matter their situation. The church during this time was going through genuine persecution. It would be easy for the early church to focus on their worries and hardships. However, Paul understood that putting our focus on God and the blessings God has for us will make walking through these dark times easier.

Our challenge to you is to take the time to look at the world around you. Then, actively look for things to be thankful for. Make it a daily habit to seek God and give thanks for small things.