That’s right, sometimes I hear voices inside me that nobody else can hear.

Before you conclude that I’m even more weird than you thought, let me quickly tell you that the voices are messages from my conscience. You’ve got one of those too. It’s factory equipment from our Creator.

The Bible tells us that God gave all of us a conscience (Romans 2) – an internal sense of right and wrong which warns us when we are contemplating or doing wrong and affirms us when we are doing right. My conscience doesn’t talk to me in with actual speech or audible sound – it’s a “voice” in my spirit, like a silent message popping up in my brain, an alarm bell in my heart, a nudge in my inner being.

I’ll bet you’ve experienced it too – that little nudge in side you that says, “You shouldn’t do that,” or “Nice job, that was good.” Even though I don’t like to be told what to do when it’s not what I want to hear (Can anybody identify with that?), my conscience is a wonderful gift from God for my benefit — yours too!

The problem is, we can ignore our conscience so that its “voice” gets softer and softer and we don’t even hear it anymore. Also, over time, we can recalibrate our conscience so it no longer serves as a reliable moral compass—kind of like me intentionally setting my digital clock for the wrong time and then fooling myself that being late isn’t my fault.

If I pay attention to my conscience, it can protect me from bad decisions that will end up hurting me and people I care about. Sometimes when my conscience really beats me up, it’s a great reminder of two things: (1) I could use some outside help in making better decisions, and (2) I need the forgiveness and ability to make better choices which Jesus freely provides as I repent, believe, and follow Him.

Listen to that inner voice!