One of the Voices in Your Head Has Your Answers

The title of this post? Credit goes to my wife. We were laughing about a TV show and reflecting on some deep questions from a leadership seminar when it hit me: One of the voices in our heads really does have our answers.

You’ve probably seen the classic cartoon trope—one character, two voices. An angel on one shoulder whispering truth, a devil on the other tempting them toward destruction. Comical, yes. But also profound.

That imagery may be fading in modern media, but the symbolism still rings true. Those voices often mirrored the character they hovered over, because those voices live within us. They sound like us. One rooted in love. The other in fear.

Today, I tend to simplify the noise in my head into three primary voices:

• The voice of God / Holy Spirit

• My own voice

• The voice of the enemy (or fear, or doubt—call it what you will)

  
  

These days, we might name that third voice “negative self-talk,” or “inner critic,” but its effect is the same: it distorts truth and attempts to separate us from our true identity.

And yet, the voice of God—though softer—is never absent. It may feel like a whisper, but it’s steady. It’s peace. It’s love. And when I lean into it, something shifts inside me.

The problem? Fear is often louder. The voice of pressure, shame, panic—it yells. It scrambles. It scrapes for control. But that doesn’t make it more true.

I’ve realized the deeper invitation isn’t just to identify these voices—but to choose. To notice which voice is shaping my own. To ask: Which one will I amplify in my life?

Because here’s what I’ve learned:

God’s voice doesn’t force. It invites. And it always leads me to peace.

Choosing Love Over Fear

It’s not always a battle of good vs. bad or right vs. wrong. Life isn’t that binary. It’s layered. It’s nuanced. Every moment offers thousands of little choices that shape the people we’re becoming.

And from the beginning, God trusted us with choice.

Yes, He placed the tree in the garden. Yes, He gave us freedom. Yes, He loved us that much.

And love—real love—requires trust.

When I see it that way, the Garden doesn’t look like a setup. It looks like an invitation. A Father who says: I trust you to choose.

So each day, I try to choose love over fear. I try to recognize the voice of the enemy—not as some cartoon villain, but as any thought or feeling that disconnects me from God’s love.

We’re Not Being Tested

There was a time in my life where I believed that hearing God’s voice perfectly was some kind of performance. That I had to get it right, or else.

That belief didn’t come from God. It came from fear. And I no longer agree with it.

God isn’t testing me. He’s loving me. He’s walking with me. He’s reshaping my voice in the world.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “doing it right”—you’re not alone. But let this truth settle in: You are not being tested on how well you perform. You’re being invited into relationship. Into grace. Into freedom.

For more on that, check out our blog on validation.

I’ll never forget one moment that changed me. I was lying on the floor, overwhelmed and broken. And in the stillness, God whispered: Love Me. Love others. Love yourself.

That’s it. That’s the greatest commandment. The foundation of it all.

Final Invitation

So today, pause. Breathe. Listen.

Let the voice of love guide you. Let it become your own voice. Let it shape how you show up in the world.

There’s one voice in your head that carries the truth. The one that speaks peace. Whispers worth. And always leads you home.

Follow that one.

Abundant blessings to you today and always,

Nicholas Branch