People are sometimes concerned that the inner voice they hear will be their own rather than God’s. I’m sure this is not only a common fear but a common occurrence. I’ve known lots of people who have “heard God” and run right off into a ditch.
For many, the solution to this problem involves increased effort to distinguish between their own inward voice and the voice of God. I’m not sure this is the best approach. I think it may be less than effective because it aims at learning a skill rather than changing the heart.
My observation is that in the vast majority of instances where a person’s inward voice is mistaken for God’s, there is a common factor. That person views prayer as an tool to get God to surrender to their will, rather than as an opportunity to surrender their will to his. When this unhealthy perspective is present, error is inevitable. When my will is the center of my prayer, my will is what I will hear. It’s simply a matter of hitting what you’re aiming at. The answer is not to try to hear with more clarity, but rather to surrender more completely.
