September 2, 2026

The Cheat Code

When I was a young girl, I loved playing video games. My favorite was Mortal Kombat, and I was pretty good! But, I had this cousin I could NEVER beat. One day, after a frustrated temper tantrum, he finally had mercy on me. “I’m using a cheat code,” he said. “A what?” “A cheat code.” It was a series of buttons pressed in a certain combination that unlocked special moves and defenses. While I was fighting with what I knew, he had access to something I didn’t.

Can I tell you something? Scripture is the believer’s cheat code to life. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 tells us that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training us in righteousness so that we are equipped for every good work. God didn’t leave us to figure life out on our own. He gave us His Word. Got an annoying neighbor you’re struggling to love? There’s a cheat code for that: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). Got a wayward child you’re worried about? There’s a cheat code for that: “Train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Facing a decision nobody can help you make? You guessed it, there’s a cheat code for that: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God” (James 1:5).

Knowing the buttons wasn’t enough. You had to use them in the right combination. Life can be the same way. Some situations require prayer and fasting. Some require apology and forgiveness. Others require getting alone with God, opening His Word, and waiting for instruction. The cheat code doesn’t mean you won’t have to fight the battle. It means you fight with an advantage. So, when life feels like it’s getting the best of you, remember: There’s a cheat code for that.