Jumping the Gun

Do you know where the phrase "jumping the gun" comes from? I had an idea, but I had to look it up to be sure. Jumping the gun refers to a few different things, 1) a track runner starting early 2) the land grab of the 1800's where the settlers would wait for the sound of a cannon before going after and claiming their land 3) a term to describe men in the Royal Artillery with poor timing. And I'm sure there are more references. In any case, the term refers to moving too soon. What were the consequences of the above references to jumping the gun? A track runner will be disqualified, a settler trying to get a head start would be shot and a man in the Royal army would find himself facing the enemy alone. None of the outcomes for jumping the gun are pleasant or beneficial.


God has really been working with me on this idea of jumping the gun when it comes to waiting on Him. We have recently had a couple of major hits to our family, in October my husband was laid off from a job that we moved across the country to take and then in January we found out that the house we rent is being sold and we have to move. Both of these situations have placed great amounts of pressure on me to 'jump the gun'.


When my husband was laid off we immediately began sending out resumes and applying for every job we could. Nothing was happening. Then a couple of opportunities came in, neither of which were going to come even close to providing for our needs (making minimum wage is just not what a family of 5 needs to survive on). As my husband and I sat here talking and trying to decide whether or not to take these jobs I felt so much pressure and unsettling. I cried as I thought of all that we had left for this job and I felt sick when I looked at what seemed to be our new reality. As I prayed I felt the Holy Spirit ask me, "Is this God's best for you?" I didn't even hesitate to answer, no. Once we put the brakes on the decision making for a few moments we were able to allow all the God-dreams in our heart to bubble up, the pressure was off and their was freedom for those things to flow. It was in that time of focusing on God-things that we believed God was calling us to another opportunity, not a conventional job but rather the fulfillment of our dreams. Ever since we began dating we had talked and dreamed of the day that we wouldn't be employed by a regular 9-5 job, but rather we would be employed by God and we would have time for our family and we would be able to do ministry and have the life we dreamed. 


So that's what we're doing, we don't like to say that we're self-employed, we're God-employed. Since being laid off God has brought work to us in amazing ways. My husband is a super-talented video producer and God is bringing him video work for missionaries and churches. God has blessed me with a the ability to read a book out loud and not give people a headache :-) and audio book narration offers have been rolling in. None of these things would be happening if 1) we weren't laid off and 2) if we'd jumped the gun and taken the first job that came along. 


Now we're in the midst of more temptation to jump the gun. The clock is ticking and we have to find a place to live. We have 2 kids in school and the year is almost up, no mother wants to have her child switch schools with only 8 weeks left. Also, since being God-employed, we have no verifiable income and a very restricted bank account. And to add a cherry on top of our 'there's-no-way-we'll-rent-to-you sundae, when we left our home to take this now, no-longer ours job, we ended up with a house in foreclosure. So, here we sit with what seems like a mountain of impossibilities and unwanted endings. Again, I feel pressure, to find a place and snatch it up, no matter what the cost. Is this God? Does He pressure me with stress and fear and uncertainty forcing my hand? 


As I sit and look through every possible website I can find to look for homes and I drive around for endless hours searching for signs, over and over in my spirit, when I'm quiet enough to hear, I hear Him saying, "Don't jump the gun." 


So what does that mean right now? 


I think it means God has a plan...


"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." Jeremiah 29:11 Msg


"Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act." Psalm 37:7 NLT 


Are there areas where the enemy is trying to get you to jump the gun? Don't. Remember at the beginning of this post the results of jumping the gun in the physical? Disqualification, death, destruction. 


Jumping the gun is clearly not God's way of doing things, I am convinced however, that it is a crafty trick of the enemy to get us to miss out on God's best.


Do I know where we're going to live? Nope. 
Do I know where or when more money is going to make it's way into my bank account? Nope.
Do I know where my kids will finish out the school year? Nope.


And that's ok, because I know the One who does know.