I spent a good amount of time trying to get the Homelink in my new Jeep to work. Basically, I can pair this device in my car that will allow me to bypass having a garage door opener and press this tiny button on my visor instead.

I followed the written directions in the manual. I even watched two Youtube videos. I went step by step through the process and at the end . . . . I got nothin’. No closed garage doors going up, and no open garage doors going down.

It was a bit frustrating.

But I’m reminded that so much of life in this world is like that. As my pastor says often, it’s a beautiful but broken world we live in. Hardly anything works like it should. I know that I can relate to the Apostle Paul’s words about wanting to do what I shouldn’t and not wanting to do what I should. Like I really want to eat all the bad foods that are so tasty without gaining weight. I also don’t want to eat the tofu and broccolini and other such health foods to lose any weight.

I think of all the moments in my life that were great and wonderful, but even in the best of those times I was still left feeling almost but not quite satisfied and complete. They were feelings, and feelings typically don’t last very long.

Or possibly the fact that I have longings and cravings that nothing in this world can fully satisfy means that I am made for another world (with much thanks to Clives Staples Lewis for saying that much better than I just did).

One day, my joy will be complete. My peace will be perfect. My faith will be sight, and all my longings will find their perfect fulfillment in the face of the Jesus who formed me and loves me best. Then I will be home.

But until then, I have to wrestle with following instructions and having stuff not work like it’s supposed to. I have relationships with imperfect people who will fail me (and whom I will fail as much). There will be sorrow mixed with my joy, and pain permeating my happiness. But not forever.