Conscience demands uncompromising honesty, and that is why it is an integral component of authentic prayer. When we consciously enter the presence of God, it is imperative that we do so as we are, and not with a persona. This means being alert to any sort of self-deception we may bring to prayer, because God desires to meet us as we are. God is not interested in relating with a phantom, a phony, with a persona that has no real existence, which is only trying to cover up what we are afraid to face. To stand before God in our conscience and say, “Here I am” puts us in a position to have a true encounter with the Living God. This is the stuff of transformation. (NS)
