Ask God to show you how well your conscience is operating.

This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. 1 Timothy 1:18-19

To help us distinguish between right and wrong, God has given us a conscience that serves as a kind of spiritual radar. The condition you keep it in will determine how much you can trust it.

The sacred conscience is one that has been kept spotless through confession of sin (1 John 1:9) and reflects a desire to know and follow God’s will. Once we are cleansed, we can live without guilt, walking openly and transparently. When we do sin, we know immediately that we need to get right with God.

The struggling conscience is clogged with rules and regulations, and its spirit of legalism makes us critical of our performance. Having created our own system of “should, ought, and must,” we use it to determine right or wrong. In doing so, we show a lack of understanding about God’s righteousness, which can never be replaced with self-righteousness (Philippians 3:8-10).

The soiled conscience is stained from harboring sin. If we consistently choose our way over God’s, we lose sight of what’s beautiful and true.

The seared conscience is insensitive to sin. When we resist and ignore its warnings, it will become numb and unresponsive.

Ask God to show you how well your conscience is operating, and where there’s room for improvement, allow Him to restore it.