When I am asking Allah (swt) for guidance I often see a Surah that seems to be the answer. Is this consistent with Islamic teachings or just a reflection of my Western upbringing and the tendency to personalize?
This can happen in few incidents when you find what you think as an answer in the Quranic verses, but it can not be taken fore granted in every case. You need to understand the meaning of the Quranic verses. You might need some times to seek advice from reliable Islamic scholars.
Wassalam.