How Trusting God Breaks the Snare of Manipulation

A snare is a device used to trap animals and birds without warning, often keeping them captive for life and turning them into slaves for the person who set it. Such lives, dominated by fear, resemble animals trapped.

In the workplace, leaders often wield control through fear. They threaten coworkers, pressure them to follow their directives, or even compel them to engage in unethical behaviour. This is a common occurrence. It can also happen in religious congregations when a pastor seeks to enforce authority, or within families where one person pressures others to accept their demands.

On two occasions, fear of people made Abraham lie, which unleashed a series of problems (Genesis 12:10—20). But the three young men, who had a long life to live, ambitions and dreams, stood up to the king’s death threat, saying: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:16—18).

Our lives ought to be guided by trust in the Lord rather than fear. Confidence in the Lord offers protection against those who manipulate us through fear of others. Those who place their trust in the Lord will confront those who wield fear as a weapon, declaring, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6).

The epic life of Pandita Ramabai was guided by the motto: “A life totally committed to God has nothing to fear, nothing to lose, and nothing to regret.”

Pray to God for protection from those who manipulate your life through fear. Trust in him as the three young men did, and he will keep you safe from harm. You can walk through fire, and your clothes won't smell of smoke.