Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. (Psalm‬ ‭141:3-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Can a man trust himself to always do the right thing? The answer is an emphatic No because sin continues to dwell within him. Temptations come to everyone at unexpected times and they often toy with our emotions to evoke an immediate reaction. Being self-aware of our weaknesses is never enough for us to resist the devil himself. We do not have enough personal strength to endure the daily pestering of Satan. Therefore, we must appeal to our Lord to help us because he is the one who highlights the escape route for us.

We must first ask and then be open to his discipline in whatever form he chooses. Sometimes his nudges are gentle and other times they are a dramatic slap in the face. His aim is to draw attention back to him and his word so that we stay clear the influences of evil. Our God cares for us and will make sure that we remain with our Good Shepherd, Jesus. He is the Royal Guard of our hearts if we yield to his promptings. Oh, how blessed we are that he pursues us when we wander away!