Troubles, opportunities, and the Trinity

I had a conversation yesterday that reminded me once again that so much of what we learn in life comes during the difficult times. It's when things are falling apart that we take stock of what matters most. It's when challenges come that opportunities arise. And it's when life is difficult that we can actually work up the resolve to risk and take an opportunity.

When things are good, there is little impetus to change. When everything is fine, we tend to slip into cruise control. I don't think this is rocket science; I think most of us get this. And yet how easy it is to try to avoid at all costs anything that might make us uncomfortable.

Do you see difficulties and crises as times of opportunity? Or things to be avoided like the plague? Troubles will come. And along with them, opportunities. But we'll miss the opportunities if we see troubles simply as things to be fixed so that we can get back to the status quo.

Here's something to think about: God isn't interested in us just maintaining the status quo. God is calling us to grow and develop, to become people of strength and courage and conviction and integrity and compassion and grace... people like Jesus. God isn't interested in the status quo. He's calling us to press on through the difficulties to a future of opportunity.

Now this might seem like a leap, but this is one place that I find the doctrine of the Trinity so astonishingly practical and helpful. God the Father loves us as a loving father--more so than any earthly father. God the Son is interceding for us before the Father. He's praying for us. (I think too many Christians miss this part. It's easy to think of God sitting around in heaven waiting for us to get our act together. And yet Jesus--the Son of God, seated at the right hand of the Father--is ever interceding for us.) And God the Spirit dwells in us, ever pointing our attention to Jesus.

So when troubles come, I know that I am not on my own. God the Father isn't sitting around in heaven hoping things work out for me. He's overseeing things--even the troubles--and working things out for good. Jesus--God the Son--is interceding for me; he's more concerned with my troubles than I am! And God the Spirit is within me so that I may become the person God created me to be.

Don't get me wrong. I don't like troubles. I don't relationship troubles, parenting troubles, financial troubles, car troubles, or any troubles you can think of. They're not fun. But when I look to Jesus and press on through the difficulty, then I find the opportunity in the trouble.

Theology on Tap

Last night I attended the first Theology on Tap in Helena, organized by Jon Bennion and Regan Clancy. We met at Bert and Ernie's for some food and drink and a discussion of the Trinity. After initial welcomes and introductions, Dr. Mark Smillie from Carroll College here in Helena presented on the topic for about 20 minutes and then we had an open discussion--about everything from God's nature, to the Council of Nicea, to prayer, and more.


Theology on Tap is typically a Catholic ministry to young adults. But Jon and Regan have intentionally established this as an interdenominational group. The twenty-plus people who attended introduced themselves and the church affiliation. It was great to see Catholics and people from a variety of Protestant traditions together discussing the Trinity in a relaxing and fun atmosphere. I don't think it worked that way during the Reformation...