Your Mind Is Not God: Learning to Discern God’s Voice from Your Own Thoughts
A Testimony of Surrender to God, Being Led by the Holy Spirit, and Discovring a Real Relationship with God
A conversation between Seth Crosby, guest; and Devaughn Williamson, host.
Hearing God’s voice is one of the most transformative experiences for a believer. But what if everything you though was God’s voice was actually just your own thoughts? Seth Crosby’s journey reveals the difference between head knowledge and being led by the Spirit of God, between religious performance and a personal relationship with God that affects every area of your life.
This is a story of faith, struggle, and the radical change that happens when you realize your mind is not God. Through godly mentorship, correction, and surrender to God, Seth learned that hearing God’s voice isn’t about intellect but discerning spirit and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead.
If you’ve wondered whether people are really hearing God or just saying things that sound spiritual, Seth’s testimony will challenge what you think you know about listning to God’s voice.
Growing Up in Ministry: Witnessing Miracles Without Relationship with God
Seeing God’s Power Doesn’t Equal Knowing His Voice
Seth grew up in ministry, with his family traveling to different countries as missionaries. From a young age, he witnessed miracles, healings, and incredible acts of God’s power. He even witnessed a young boy from Mexico get miraculously healed where he walked for the first time without his metal braces.
Witnessing miracles like these made it impossible for Seth to deny God’s existence. However, knowing of God and having a real relationship with God are two very different things.
He witnessed God’s power but didn’t fully understand what it meant to have a relationship with God.
The Struggle: Are People Really Hearing God’s Voice?
When Your Thoughts Become Your “God”
Despite being raised in a household of faith, Seth struggled, at times, to make his relationship with God personal. He questioned whether people were really hearing from God or just saying things that sounded good.
At one point, he even believed that his own thoughts were the voice of God. This led to a lot of confusion, misguided decisions, and frustration. His mind became his guide instead of the Spirit of God.
This is the danger God warned about “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Without discerning spirit, we confuse our desires, fears, and logic with God’s guidance.
The College Shift: Embracing Godly Mentorship and Being Led by the Holy Spirit
When Consistency Speaks Louder Than Words
It wasn’t until college that everything shifted. At that point, he embraced godly mentorship that changed his life. Seth met a mentor that truly lived out their faith in God with unwavering consistency.
This is when Seth realized that hearing God was not about his mind or intellect, but about surrender to God and being led by the Holy Spirit. Seth’s mentor demonstrated what “trust God” means - relinquishing control of your own thoughts and allowing God’s guidance to direct your steps.
The Colorado Wilderness: Desperately Seeking Guidance from God
A Prayer Answered Before It Was Finished
Fast forward to college graduation, Seth believed that doors would automatically open for him because of his degree. However, it was the opposite. Seth didn’t have any job offers, and was wondering what was next.
In an act of desperation, Seth found himself in the forest of Colorado seeking guidance from God. He prayed a simple but faith-filled prayer asking God to have his mentor call him. And sure enough, while helping someone move, his phone rang. Guess who it was? His mentor!
This moment was God’s voice breaking through Seth’s confusion.
God’s Plan for Your Life: Correction Over Assumption
When Pride Blocks God’s Guidance
On that call, was a lot of correction because Seth mentioned how he was making decisions out of pride and assumption rather than wisdom. He had been following his own thoughts, calling them God’s plan.
His mentor told him God’s plan for your life is to be in Tulsa. At that moment, Seth had a choice to either trust that his mentor was hearing God’s voice, or continue following his own assumptions. Trusting God meant humbling himself and accepting that his mind wasn’t the authority - God’s voice is.
Scripture teaches: “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12).” Seth’s way seemed logical, but it wasn’t God’s guidance. Only true surrender to God and trusting in the Holy Spirit cold lead him into the right path.
In the end, he ended up doing what many believers choose to do, “trust God with your life”, and moved back to Tulsa.
Tulsa and Transformation: Being Led by the Holy Spirit Through Correction
Choosing Humility Over Offense
While back in Tulsa, things didn’t just change overnight. In fact, there was a lot of correction even afterwards. At bible study, his mentor kept calling out specific struggles such as fear, pride, and lust. Seth knew it was for him.
Again, he had a choice. He could have chosen to get offended and never go back or receive the correction and grow. Seth chose to humble himself which opened the door to God’s transformative power taking control of his life.
Scripture teaches: “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid (Proverbs 12:1).” Seth’s willingness to embrace correction was evidence of being led by the Spirit - not ego.
Through all of this, Seth learned that faith in God is built on trust. If you can’t trust the people God’s guidance brings into your life, how can you trust God himself? Through correction, accountability, and surrender to God, Seth finally stepped into a real relationship with God.
The Mock Interview: God’s Guidance in Practical Preparation
When Mentorship Equips You for What God Has in Store
Unable to secure a job, Seth’s mentor saw what he couldn’t see - his pride, lack of preparation, and the way he presented himself. He didn’t just give Seth advice. He took action.
He walked Seth through a mock interview, pointed out areas he need to improve, and even took him shopping for a proper interview suit. It was more than just a suit. It was about being equipped for the God’s plan for your life had in store.
Scripture says: “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out” (Proverbs 20:5). Seth’s mentor advised him with a discerning spirit from God, seeing beneath the surface to what God wanted to refine in him.
Two interviews later, Seth landed the job that set his career in motion.
The Real Transformation: Character Over Career
From Pride, Fear, and Lust to Humility, Confidence, and Purity
The real transformation wasn't just about getting a job. It was about character. Seth had walked out of pride, fear, and lust and replaced it with humility, confidence, and purity. He learned to listen to the voice of God that would lead him in every area of his life.
Scripture declares: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearane, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). This fruit wasn’t produced by Seth’s human effort, but the result of being led by the Holy Spirit and surrender to God.
Looking back, Seth’s greatest piece of advice is that your mind is not God. Your thoughts aren't always aligned with His. He encourages others to seek wise, godly mentors that can help lead them into the path of God for their lives. Because when you let God take control of your life, He works things out for you in ways you never could on your own.
Key Takeaways: Discerning God’s Voice from Your Own Thoughts
Seth’s testimony offers powerful lessons for anyone learning to navigate hearing God’s voice versus following their own mind:
Your mind is not God - your thoughts must be surrendered to the Spirit of God
Hearing God’s voice requires a discerning spirit, not just intellect
Relationship with God is personal and relational not just based on other’s experiences and theological knowledge
Surrender to God opens the door to being led by the Holy Spirit
Trust God by trusting the advice of godly leaders He places in your path
God’s guidance often comes through correction
God’s plan for your life may look different than your own assumptions, humility is required
Seeking guidance from God means laying down pride and control
Faith in God is built on trust
Led God take control - when you surrender, He works things out beyond your ability
Final Thoughts: Hearing God’s Voice Requires Surrender to God
Seth’s story is a roadmap for anyone struggling to discern God’s voice from their own thoughts. From witnessing miracles without personal relationship with God, to confusing his mind with God’s direction, to finally experiencing transformation through godly mentorship and being led by the Holy Spirit - Seth discovers that your mind is not God.
Hearing God’s voice requires a discerning spirit, surrender to God, and trust God above your own thoughts. God’s plan for your life often looks different than your own, and God’s guidance frequently comes through correction, not just comfort.
If you’re in a season of confusion, seeking guidance from God, remember, the Spirit of God speaks clearly to those willing to listen to God. Find godly mentors who are hearing God’s voice. Surrender to God your pride, control, and assumptions. And trust God enough to follow Him when it doesn’t make sense.
Your mind is not God. When you surrender your mind to the Spirit of God, He will lead you into all truth, transformation, and an abundant life promised to you by Christ.
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Jesus teaches: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27). Those who have a true relationship with God will recognize His voice.
Furthermore, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come (John 16:13).” Being led by the Holy Spirit provides divine direction that your own thoughts cannot.
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Scripture explains: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Romans 8:14). Being led by the Holy Spirit requires active surrender to God and sensitivity and obedience to His promptings.
Paul teaches: “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).” Being led by the Spirit produces freedom, following your own mind produces bondage to sin and carnality.
Seth’s story illustrated this, when he followed his assumptions, he was stuck in struggles with the flesh. When he submitted to God’s guidance and the Holy Spirit, doors opened and transformation took place.
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Scripture says: “Come near to God and he will come near to you… (James 4:8a)” A real relationship with God is requires listing to God and being led by the Holy Spirit daily.
Jesus defines relationship with God as eternal life: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (John 17:3).
Seth witnessed miracles but lacked real relationship with God until he learned to surrender to God.
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Scripture reveals: “For I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).” God’s plan for your life is revealed through surrender to God and relationship with God, being led by the Holy Spirit and seeking guidance from God. Trust God and trust God’s guidance above your own assumptions.
Paul teaches: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). God’s plan existed before you were born and being led by the Holy Spirit reveals it step by step.
Seth discovered God’s plan for your lif isn’t assumed. Trust God enough to follow His leading even when it doesn’t make logical sense.
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Scripture teaches: “Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established (Proverbs 16:3).” Commitment is actively surrendering to God daily in all that you do. Inviting the Holy Spirit to lead your decisions and trusting God’s guidance is better.
Jesus said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23).” Let God take control means being led by the Spirit and daily denying yourself.
If Seth’s story moved you, consider sharing it with someone who needs encouragement. And I encourage you to partner with Faith Ignite to help bring more stories of hope to the world. Together, we can spread messages of God's faithfulness to those who need it most.
Devaughn Williamson President, Faith Ignite Inc
