"Hurry Up and Wait!"

Family and friends of SHIM - waiting for something...

Sometimes life in Uganda forces you to wait...

A computer repair that should take less than a week extends into a month.

The "high-speed" Internet results in a 20-minute song download or no download at all.

Someone tells you they'll meet you in half an hour and an hour ticks by.

Church starts when enough people show up.

The random power outages postpone the Skype chat you were so looking forward to.

The mud and potholes slow down the journey by car or by motorcycle or even when walking.

You can rush to the lake shore to ensure you don't miss the boat and wait...for up to an hour before you see it.

It rains...this almost inevitably interrupts or derails any plans.

People here walk slower, talk slower, eat slower, plan slower, and often work slower. Let's just say, there is generally a slower pace here. ;)

One of my favorite phrases here is "Hurry up and wait" - often said sarcastically. ;)

Today I had to wait...and I wasn't happy about it. After retrieving my computer yesterday, with its new hard drive, I have been attempting to start, reload and download the programs I need. The "high speed" Internet was less than swift and resulted in high blood pressure and eventual resignation as dusk began to fall. I trudged home from the Internet cafe, pondering what God might be attempting to teach me with these frustrations.

I am trying to do good things here, so why do I seem to hit these potholes? Perhaps God sees I am greatly lacking in patience? Or I need to work on persistence?

Sunsets are always worth waiting for. :)

I think, however, something deeper is happening - a richer lesson that God wants me to grasp.

Waiting is not bad, it is actually good.

"Wait" is one of the words I believe God gave me for 2013. There are so many Scripture verses that contain the word "wait" that I didn't even begun to study them all.

Waiting seems to be a lesson God often taught David as evidenced in the Psalms. The shepherd-boy-turned-royalty knew some about it as he waited 10+ years to assume his rightful throne, while running and hiding for his life from King Saul.

"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in His way, over the man who carries out evil devices!" - Psalm 37:7

"Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long." - Psalm 25:5

"Lord, I don't know if what I am doing is effective or worthwhile." His response: "Wait on me...wait and see."

"Lord, I am homesick and missing the people at home." His reply: "Wait on me...draw close to me."

"Lord, I am struggling with these temptations, challenges and frustrations." He tells me: "Wait on me...My strength is what you need."

"Lord, so and so is annoying and hurting me. His whisper: "Wait on me...I've got it handled."

Waiting forces us to stop, quiet our minds and hearts, and be more aware of God's abiding presence. 

Perhaps we need to slow down enough, to wait, to actually see Him at work.