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Q: Sometimes when I pray to God to help me make decisions, I hear God speaking clearly, and voices guiding me. Other times I hear nothing and don't know what to do. What should I do when this happens?
We are going to assume here that when you refer to God 'speaking', and to 'voices' you hear when you pray, you are expressing yourself somewhat figuratively. In other words, we will assume you are not literally hearing voices, which is a possibility, however rare, such as Moses did in the desert or St. Paul did on the road to Damascus. When you say you hear two voices, presumably those voices are not separate and distinct from your own, but consist of an inner dialogue you might be conducting with yourself, involving your thoughts and your conscious reactions to the events in your life.
During times of indecision such as you seem to be describing, when we seek God's help through prayer, we might become more aware of this dialogue in our head, and use the term 'voices' to describe it. Those voices are related to our 'conscience', that judgment "present at the heart of the person (which) enjoins him at the appropriate moment to do good and avoid evil" and which "judges particular choices, approving those that are good and denouncing those that are evil." (Catechism: 1777)
Preparing ourselves to make the right decisions in our life, through the exercise of our conscience, is not the work of a single moment, not even a prayerful moment. The formation of our conscience begins in childhood and lasts for our whole life. It involves regular self-examination and continuing education so that we acquire what is known as an 'informed' conscience. An informed conscience is one that has been, among other things, shaped by prayer, and your question makes it clear that you turn to prayer when faced with difficult decisions, which is just as it should be, with perhaps special emphasis on prayers to the Holy Spirit. An informed conscience needs also to be shaped by frequent reception of the sacraments, by familiarity with the teachings of Christ and his Church, and "by the witness or advice of others." (Catechism: 1785)
Through the sacraments we receive what is known as 'actual' grace, a form of supernatural help which strengthens our will to do good and to avoid evil, and which enlightens us in particular circumstances, such as decision making. We receive, too, through the sacraments, the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, for example, which helps us discern God's will, and fortitude, which gives us the strength to carry out right decisions and persevere when faced with difficulties. Our conscience is also developed and strengthened through spiritual education, such as listening to the Word of God in Sacred Scripture, becoming familiar with his Church's teaching as explained in the Catholic Catechism, listening to homilies in church, reading spiritual books, and attending lectures or talks by Catholic speakers.
Nevertheless, even the most prayerful, most spiritually balanced of persons can still be paralyzed by indecision. That is why the Catechism speaks of seeking the advice of others (1785, above) An important point to remember is that you need not make your decisions in isolation. God's voice can speak to us in many ways, and through many people. At such times of uncertainty you should continue to pray fervently and receive the sacraments, but also seek out the help of people who may have expertise in the area of your concern, people who can help you sort out the the conflicting 'voices' in your head.
Such a person might be a good friend who shares your belief in God, or even a professional person such as a lawyer, doctor or psychologist. In cases where the indecision relates to a moral matter, you should consult a priest or other religious counsellor. Many cities and dioceses provide a Catholic Family Services office which can direct you to appropriate counselling services, and some firms operate an Employee Assistance Program which offers similar opportunities. If you can find professionals who are also persons of faith, then so much the better. If not, your prayers will aid you even in the most secular of environments. Many sick people, for example, pray frequently for the doctors and nurses who attend them, asking that God will assist them in delivering the proper medical treatment.
Even when God seems to be guiding our decisions, he does not necessarily send us on a direct road to salvation. There may still be many twists and turns on that road, with other decisions to be made along the way, but through faith we persevere. "For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matt: 7:8)
God bless,
Father Norbert