There are times when we are so certain about a decision. We pray, weigh it up time and again, and even feel a sense of peace when we think about it. However, strong conviction does not always mean that we have heard the voice of God. It may well be that, without realising it, what we are actually listening to is the voice of our own desires, fears or hopes, manifested in that strong conviction.

It is precisely this kind of struggle that arises in Jeremiah 23. In Jeremiah’s time, many prophets declared, “I have had a dream!” Dreams and religious experiences were used as the basis for speaking in the name of God. However, God revealed a deeper issue: they were, in fact, conveying “the deceit of their own hearts”. It is here that Jeremiah voices his sharp criticism. The greatest danger lies not merely in lies, but when human desires are cloaked in religious language and then presented as though they were the will of the Lord. The voice of man is recognised as the voice of God, and the people gradually lose the ability to distinguish between the two. Therefore, God separates the chaff from the wheat and describes His word as fire and a hammer that shatters a rocky hill. God’s word is not always meant to soothe. There are times when the Word instead burns away the falsehoods we cling to and shatters the beliefs we have for too long taken for granted. 

Dear Friends of the Bible, it is true that people readily listen to what suits their own desires. We can become so familiar with the voice of our own hearts that we struggle to distinguish between what we want and what God truly wills. So, try asking yourself in your heart, “Whose voice am I actually listening to?” Not every desire should immediately be labelled as God’s will. Not every conviction should be regarded as His guidance. For recognising the voice of God also requires humility: the courage to examine ourselves, to listen to the Word with honesty, and to be willing to accept it when His voice turns out to be different from what we had hoped for.