It Wasn’t By Your Sword

I learned something about myself that I didn’t really want to admit.

When I was a senior in high school, I remember that on top of going to school, I worked two different after-school jobs, helped with the youth group at church, and helped lead a Bible study at our school. I know it sounds like a lot (but really, it wasn’t as much as it sounded).

What I remember most is how I answered people when they asked how I was doing.

Busy.

I said it every time. (even if I wasn’t)

And the truth is, I liked saying it.
It made me feel important.

I remember realizing that even back then and calling myself out on it.
Why did being busy make me feel valuable?

Where did I learn—at such a young age—that busy meant important?

But isn’t that exactly what our culture teaches us?

In business, doesn’t it feel good to say you have a full calendar?
Or to tell someone, “My first opening is two weeks from now”?

We like to feel busy.

Because we like to feel important.

Because we like to feel like we are making things happen.

But is that what the Bible teaches us?

I was reading Joshua 24:12 the other day and it punched me in the face.

“I sent the hornet ahead of you, driving them out from ahead of you, the two kings of the Emori - it wasn’t by your sword or your bow.”

It wasn’t by your sword.
It wasn’t by your bow.

In other words… it wasn’t you.

This is part of Joshua’s covenant renewal with Israel before he dies.

He’s reminding them who actually fought for them. 

Who actually provided. 

Who actually won the land.

And honestly? I needed that reminder.

Right before I read this verse, I was feeling extremely overwhelmed.

Pulled in too many directions.
Feeling responsible for everything.

The business.
The decisions.
The finances.
The home life.

It felt like if I didn’t hold it all together, everything would fall apart.

As I read this verse in Joshua I started to wonder if…

Overwhelm only happens when I try to do God’s job.

Maybe overwhelm is me trying to carry something God never asked me to carry.

Maybe overwhelm is me fighting battles with my own sword and bow.

Israel did that once too.

Right after the huge victory at Jericho, they went up against the small city of Ai. The spies came back and basically said, “This one’s easy. Don’t even send everyone.”

And they lost.

Fast.

Isn’t that exactly what we do?

“God, I’ve got this decision.”
“This one’s easy.”

Or we take on everything, acting like we have to fight with our own strength.

I so easily take over as the general manager of my life… and push God aside.

And then I cry out, “God, help. I’m overwhelmed.”

Meanwhile, He gently reminds me,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

—Matthew 11:28–30

If the yoke feels heavy, maybe I’m carrying something I was never meant to.

Maybe I’m fighting battles I was never meant to fight alone.
Making decisions I was never meant to make alone.

Maybe my overwhelm is self-induced.

My challenge—to myself and to you—is this: stop trying to do God’s job.

Our role in this relationship is obedience, not direction.

It’s easy in our culture to feel like being overwhelmed is normal, even celebrated.

Because our culture tells us if we aren’t busy, we aren’t important.

If we aren’t exhausted, we aren’t successful.

But that’s a lie.

Maybe overwhelm is actually just a lack of trust.

Maybe it’s us depending on ourselves again instead of the God who has already brought us this far.

Psalm 127:2 keeps echoing in my mind:

“In vain do you get up early and put off going to bed,
working hard to earn a living;
for he provides for his beloved, even when they sleep.”

When we forget who fights for us…
Who leads the battles…
Who actually wins…

We start carrying things we were never created to carry.

If you’re in a season where you feel overwhelmed, pressured, or stretched thin, I hope this is a reminder for you:

He’s got it.
He always has.
And He always will.