Maybe We Don’t Need Another Life Hack

Scrolling the other day and I just kept on seeing “life hacks” and beautiful women telling me: “you shouldn’t do this, you should do that…” and “if you really want to have [peace, joy, relief, etc.] you should…”

Instead of feeling hopeful and inspired, I began to feel overwhelmed and even a little depressed.

You know what never leaves me feeling like that? God’s Word.

You know who never has a life hack I just “have to try today!“…? Jesus.

Ugh. I know this. I do. But, I get sucked in.

Maybe it’s like sitting at one of those slot machines and you keep pulling the arm down and watching the dials spin and getting closer to a big win but…spin, whirl, bells, lights…nope. So, I drop another coin in and try again for that perfect spin. Maybe this time.

Nope.

The pattern is so predictable: curiosity, possibility, overwhelm, paralyzed. I’m tired, and I’m tired of it.

What I’m slowly relearning is that so much of what the world offers us, even when it’s packaged as wisdom or wellness or self-improvement, still leaves us carrying the burden of fixing ourselves. There’s always another system to master, another morning routine to perfect, another expert promising that if we would just tweak this one thing we could finally become calmer, happier, healthier, more productive, more fulfilled. And after a while it becomes exhausting because underneath all of it is the quiet message that peace is something we must manufacture for ourselves. ¹

But Scripture speaks to us so differently. God does not hand His children a collection of trendy techniques and send us off to save ourselves. He gives us Himself. I get Him and His presence and wisdom and truth. I don’t get another hack we get His unchanging character.² And over and over, especially in the Psalms, He gently calls anxious, weary people like me back to what is real and lasting.

But I can easily miss this. Like driving home and getting there only to wonder, “Wait, how’d I get here?” I was on autopilot of sorts. The world spun by, the cars, and the lights, and the movement all blurred past and I ended up in my driveway. At least I DID end up there, but I missed something in the process.

Somewhere in all of that noise and responsibility and constant input, many women are realizing how deeply they long for something more lasting than another life hack, productivity tip, or carefully curated inspirational quote.

What we actually need – what I need! – is far deeper than that.

We need truth that remains true even when our emotions fluctuate. We need reminders that are rooted outside ourselves altogether. We need the kind of comfort and perspective that comes from the unchanging character of God rather than the constantly shifting mood of the culture around us.³

And honestly, when women ask me where to begin when their hearts feel overwhelmed or spiritually tired, I almost always think of the Psalms. They are earthy and honest and deeply human…and that’s where I go as well.

The Psalms especially have a way of meeting me honestly. They don’t pretend life is easy. The Psalms along with other books of the Bible, speak openly about fear, exhaustion, confusion, grief, waiting, injustice, disappointment, and longing. Yet woven through all of those very human emotions is the repeated reminder that God has not changed, has not abandoned His people, and has never once failed to keep His promises.⁴

I think many of us already know this in some quiet corner of our hearts. We know what it feels like for a single passage of Scripture to bring clarity when everything else feels noisy. We know the strange comfort of opening the Bible and finding words written thousands of years ago somehow speaking directly into the ache or anxiety of today. We know the relief of being reminded that our lives are not hanging together by our own strength or wisdom.

The psalmist writes, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” That phrase “present help” has stayed with me lately because it reminds me that God is not merely offering abstract encouragement from a distance. He is near. He is involved. He is aware of every burden we carry, every fear we rehearse in our minds at 2 a.m., every quiet disappointment we rarely say out loud.

And because He is who He is, His Word remains trustworthy and not at all dependent on whether culture approves of it. His truth is anchored in His character, and His character does not shift with the times.

Maybe that’s why the Psalms continue to nourish believers generation after generation. They remind us that while human circumstances constantly change, the Lord remains faithful, merciful, attentive, righteous, patient, and good. Those realities do not expire.

Maybe some part of this landed where you needed it today.

I will leave you with two simple things you might consider doing today. I want you to know the same kind of peace and nearness to God that His Word continues to bring me again and again.

I don’t have a life hack to give you – but I do have two things you could do:

1. Open Psalms. Just read one Psalm and ask God to meet you there. I’ll recommend any of the following:
   • Psalm 46 For the woman whose mind feels loud and restless “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble…” This Psalm acknowledges upheaval and chaos while continually bringing the heart back to the presence and nearness of God. It’s comforting without pretending life is easy.
   • Psalm 131 For the woman who feels emotionally overwhelmed. This one is short, gentle, and deeply calming. David describes quieting his soul “like a weaned child with its mother,” which feels especially meaningful in a world constantly agitating our thoughts and emotions. It’s one of those Psalms that invites you to slow down just by reading it.
   • Psalm 139 For the woman who feels unseen, anxious, or emotionally worn thin. There’s something deeply reassuring about being reminded that God fully sees us, knows us, and remains present with us. It confronts the illusion that we are alone in our struggles or responsible to hold ourselves together perfectly.
2. Take a walk. No phone. No music playing. Just you looking up to the sky, the ground beneath your feet, your neighborhood alive around you…and pray as you walk. Pray for you heart, for you neighbors you know and don’t know, for God to move in your life to be that woman He wants you to be – whoever that is and in whatever timetable. Take that quiet walk and just be.

The God who strengthened weary saints centuries ago is still faithfully caring for His people today. And His Word still brings peace, wisdom, conviction, comfort, and rest to hearts that are willing to dwell there. Best. “hack” ever. 😉

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Scriptures for Dwelling

1. Isaiah 30:15; Ecclesiastes 1:8 or 2:22–23 ↩︎
2. Exodus 33:14; 2 Peter 1:3 ↩︎
3. Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8 ↩︎
4. Psalm 77; Lamentations 3:21–23; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ↩︎

Today is a good day to connect with the Dwelling Richly community. Share a comment below, connect with me, and join what we’re up to – it’s good, I promise, and it is changing lives.

Looking for a Bible study that you can do on your own or with a friend? I wrote a 28-day Bible study in my own process of working through (again!) the rethinking of rest and stress. You can get that study “Chill: Rethinking Rest & Stress” and join a Grace Group or just do the study on your own any time.

CURRENT BIBLE STUDY: “Chill: Rethinking Stress & Rest” – June-August, 2026 – Details/Register HERE