“The Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.” (Prov. 3:26)
Without a doubt, there are dangerous snares along our path of following Christ. And there are quite a few that the Lord allows in order to test us. The repeated exhortation to be vigilant is not given in vain, for there are many temptations that seek to lead us astray from the straight path.
Vigilance should not be confused with mistrust. Vigilance recognizes evil and teaches us how to deal with it, while mistrust sees evil everywhere and feels constantly threatened. Vigilance is also incompatible with a certain naivety that fails to properly assess the surrounding situation and feels emotionally secure simply because it does not even perceive the dangers that threaten it.
Our Heavenly Father gives us the right word on how to deal with snares and dangers. It is confidence—that is, He is our confidence. If we entrust our entire lives to God—with every step and everything that accompanies it—and do not slacken in this or become careless, then we can firmly trust that the Lord will protect us from these snares. His Spirit will warn us in time or, at times, clearly prevent us from continuing in the wrong direction. God has many ways to protect us. When we are fully united with Him in eternity, we will see—filled with gratitude and praise—how countless times He has protected us without our even noticing.
The key for us is He Himself and our trust in Him. To strive for this daily, so that our hearts are filled with it, is great wisdom!