What's God Got To Do With It?: "How do I know if I’m hearing God’s voice or just my own thoughts?"

Have you ever wondered if the voice in your head is God speaking—or just your own thoughts, emotions, or fears? If so, you’re not alone. In this episode of Ask The God Pod, Leanne tackles a powerful listener question: How do I know if I’m really hearing God? She breaks down why this can be so tricky, how to discern between God’s voice and our own internal noise, and the key steps to confidently recognizing His guidance.

You’ll learn how to test what you’re hearing against Scripture, recognize the difference between divine peace and anxious urgency, and why waiting in prayer can bring clarity. Plus, Leanne shares practical steps—like seeking wise counsel and paying attention to what draws you closer to God—so you can trust His leading with confidence. If you’ve ever second-guessed yourself when making a decision, this episode will help you navigate those moments with faith, wisdom, and a whole lot of grace.

HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington 

To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:08):
If you want to go on a journey. If you're skeptical,
don't worry. Now here to preach. Want to keep it
clean and talk to me and recall where faith means
fars nature, Get in touch with your creator with a
baking love and jew She even speaks Hebrew. What's that
got Toto? What's that?

Speaker 2 (00:37):
This?

Speaker 1 (00:37):
Well? Sad busation? Should talking transformation?

Speaker 2 (00:41):
What's that?

Speaker 1 (00:42):
Gonzto?

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Hey, hey, and welcome back to what's God got to
do with it? And today we're diving into another powerful
question from one of our listeners, and they asked, how
do I know if I'm hearing God's voice or just
my own thoughts? Sometimes I feel like God is guiding me.
But then I said, I can guess myself and think
that maybe it's just my own voice. How can I
be sure it's really him? And so, first off, yes, yes,

(01:08):
and yes, this is a real struggle for so many
of us, myself included. And I'm still on that journey
of deciphering. To be honest, and I think we all
want clarity, and we all want to know that we're
making the right decisions. But let's be honest, sometimes it's
really hard to tell if it's God's speaking or just
our own thoughts or emotions or even fears. And so

(01:31):
today we're going to unpack what Scripture says about hearing God,
how to recognize when it's God's speaking versus your own voice,
and then practical ways to discern his guidance from our
own distractions and desires and anxiety. So grab your coffee,
get comfy, and let's dive on in. Now. Before we

(01:53):
even get into the how to hear God part of this,
let's acknowledge why this is so tricky in the first place.
And so, first off, our own thoughts are really loud,
right Like, we have a million thoughts a day. Some
are rooted in faith, some in fear, some in emotions.
So when we feel something strongly, it can be hard
to tell if it's God leading us or just our

(02:16):
own desires and anxieties or instincts talking. But also God's
voice isn't always obvious, and so sometimes we expect a loud,
you know, booming voice or a dramatic sign in the sky,
but more often God speaks in a still, small whisper
like he talks about in First Kings nineteen twelve. But

(02:37):
we also want certainty, right, Like, let's be real, we
don't want to just hear God. We want absolute confirmation
that we're on the right path. But faith isn't about certainty,
it's about trusting Him even when we're unsure. So let's
break this down, like, how do you actually discern if
it's God's speaking or just your own mind making noise?

(03:00):
And well, step one is to check it against scripture.
God will never contradict himself, and so if you feel
like you're hearing from God, the first step is to
check it against his word. And so two Timothy three
sixteen says all scripture is God breathed and is useful
for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. So God

(03:22):
will never tell you to do something that goes against
his word period, right. And so if you feel led
to forgive someone, that actually aligns with scripture, and if
you feel led to lie or manipulate or take revenge,
well that's definitely not God and does not align with scripture.
So when in doubt, the Bible is your filter, okay,

(03:44):
And so ask yourself, does this align with God's truth
or is it based on my own emotions, fears, or desires?
Step two is to ask does it bring me peace?
Or does this bring me anxiety? And so God's boy
is not chaotic or fear driven, and he doesn't lead
through panic and confusion or pressure. That's just not his nature, right,

(04:08):
And so Philippians four seven says, and the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus. And so when God speaks, his
direction brings peace, even if it's challenging. And so this
doesn't mean that it won't be scary, and this doesn't
mean that it won't require faith. But God's voice does

(04:32):
not come with panic or guilt or a sense of
being rushed. And so if you're feeling a sense of
urgency that breeds anxiety, just ask yourself, am I feeling
pressure because this is truly God? Or am I just
reacting emotionally? Okay? Step three is to ask does it
call you closer to God or pull you further away

(04:54):
from him? And so God's voice always draws us closer
to Him, not further away. And John ten twenty seven
even says, my sheep listen to my voice. I know them,
and they follow me. And so if something draws you
into deeper faith and obedience and trust in God, it's
more likely his voice. But on the flip side, if

(05:17):
something pulls you into sin or fear or self centeredness,
it's likely going to be your own voice or maybe
even the enemy. Whispering in step four is to test
it through prayer and the part that people don't like,
which is waiting, right, and so sometimes we just need
to slow down and give God space to confirm what

(05:37):
we're hearing. And so Psalm forty six to ten says,
be still and know that I am God. And so
if you're not sure whether something is from God, then
pray on it and wait on it and ask Him
for clarity, because God is not afraid of your questions
and He will bring clarity in his time. But we

(05:58):
have to slow down long enough to listen. And I
know sometimes his timing can be frustrating and flustering and
we want it in our time, but that's just kind
of how it is. Like God's timing is God's timing.
And so if you're feeling uncertain, ask you know, God,
is this from you? Like, if it is from you,
confirm it in my spirit. And if it's not, give

(06:20):
me a nudge in my spirit to take a step back,
and like literally just ask God to give you that
clarity and confirmation that you're looking for. And step five
is to seek wise counsel and get guidance from someone
who can guide you spiritually. And so God often speaks
through other believers, you know, mentors or pastors or friends

(06:41):
who are also rooted in faith. And so Proverbs eleven fourteen,
it actually says where there is no guidance, a people falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. And
so if you're struggling to discern God's voice, talk to
somebody who is spiritually great or maybe a little bit

(07:01):
ahead of their faith walk than you are in yours right,
And of course, like be careful who you go to
because not everyone will give you wisdom based on God's truth.
But a wise mentor is also going to challenge you
and not just tell you what you want to hear. Okay,
so you know, keeping it really real, we've you know,
we've done these steps, but like what if you still

(07:21):
don't know? Right? Like what if you're still unsure? Like
is this God or is this my voice? Well, if
you're still unsure. Here's what I've learned from my own experience.
First of all, God isn't playing hide and seek with you.
He wants you to know his will more than you do.
And sometimes he's actually waiting for you to take the
first step in faith. Right. I have a good friend

(07:42):
who said shared with me this quote, and you know,
it really spoke to me. Is are you waiting on God?
Or is God waiting on you?

Speaker 1 (07:49):
Right?

Speaker 2 (07:49):
And so, sometimes He's waiting for you to take that
first step in faith. And if you're genuinely seeking him,
he will absolutely redirect you if you need to be directed, Okay.
Proverbs three five through six says trust in the Lord
with all your heart, and lean not on your own
understanding in all your ways. Submit to him, and he

(08:12):
will make your paths straight. And so even if you're
not one hundred percent sure, if your heart is genuinely
seeking him, he will guide you. Okay, he really really will.
So wrapping up this conversation about how to discern God's
voice from your own thoughts, and you know, just to
put a nice little bow around all of this, you
want to check it again scripture. God will never contradict

(08:34):
his word, Okay, Does it bring you peace or does
it bring you anxiety? Because God's voice is steady, not chaotic.
Does it call you closer to him or pull you
away from him or create a distance or a separation
or a barrier. Pray on it and wait for confirmation.
God isn't in a rush, and he speaks in the stillness,

(08:56):
and seek wise counsel. Trusted believers can help you discern
his leading, okay. And remember, even if you're unsure, God
can course correct you. And so if you're genuinely seeking him,
he won't let you get lost. I promise you that, Okay.
So here's my invitation for you for this week. If
you're wrestling with a big decision or if you're wondering,

(09:18):
if you're hearing God, take time to pray and ask
him for clarity. And then just listen, right listen, and
pay attention to where He gives peace and where you
feel a check or a nudge in your spirit. And
if you need wisdom, reach out to somebody who's spiritually grounded,
because you are not meant to figure this out alone, okay.

(09:40):
And if this episode helped you, go ahead and share
it with a friend who might need clarity. Too, and
if you have a question that you want me to
tackle on ask the God Pod in the future, send
it on over my way by heading on over to
What's God Got to Do with It? Dot com? And
until next time, just remember God is always speaking. Okay,
the question is are we making space to listen? Are

(10:02):
we listening for him and hearing him? Are we able
to receive that? Okay? See you next week. Bye, We'll
be back with more What's God Got to Do with It?
But in the meantime, I would definitely love to hear
from you, so just tell me where you are in
your story or maybe what questions you have, like where

(10:22):
do you feel you need clarity or support or wisdom
in your own journey. I definitely want to hear from you,
So head on over to What's God Got to Do
with It? Dot com and scroll down to the form
to share your thoughts, your questions, your feedback, and you
can do that instantly. So What's God Got to Do
with It? Dot com? You'll find all the ways to

(10:42):
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(11:05):
It is an iHeartRadio podcast on the Amy Brown Podcast Network.
It's written and hosted by me Leanne Ellington, executive produced
by Elizabeth Fozzio, post production and editing by Houston Tilley,
and original music written by Cheryl Stark and produced by
Adam Stark