What Does the Holy Spirit Feel Like (For Me)?

Recognizing the Holy Spirit's "voice" is paramount to the pursuit of truth. If one can identify God's method for confirming truth in one's own life, personal revelation through study and prayer becomes incredibly meaningful. According to the LDS Bible Dictionary, "when a person speaks by the power of the Holy Ghost that same power carries a conviction of the truth unto the heart of the hearer (2 Ne. 33:1)." But how can each of us recognize what that power feel like?

One approach to get at the answer to this is by sharing three different people's attempts at describing what the Holy Ghost feels like for them:

1) Lucas G. Merrill — "Feels like anticipating a satisfying pee."

In 2014, Lucas was one of my favorite Sunday school students; he was also the class clown. As an inquisitive 13-year-old with relatively-little experience in the gospel, Lucas often made irreverent remarks during class. However, beneath his impious facade, he possessed an earnest mind that was capable of deep insight.

Last night, as I journaled before bed, I ran across this page.  At first I was alarmed to see someone else's handwriting in my journal. But then I remembered having lent my own journal to Lucas one day to use as a scripture study journal in class to capture spiritual impressions. As I recall, for that lesson, I had asked each of the learners to reflect on how they recognized the "fruits" (Galatians 5:22-23)—or feelings—of the Spirit in their own lives. This was apparently his response:

While some readers may find Lucas's description crass, I find it honest and beautifully descriptive—especially for a 7th grader.

2) Bryan Tanner — "Feels like enjoying a fruit God has prepared especially for you."

While I had experienced many witnesses from the Holy Ghost in my youth, I had never made a serious study of it until I was a missionary at the Provo MTC. Brother Corless, one of my favorite MTC teachers, helped our district members realize that a chief tenant of our missionary purpose was to help others feel and recognize the promptings of the Holy Spirit. To do that, we needed to be able to bear testimony of how we were able to identify the power of the Holy Ghost in our own lives. (Note: I believe that because God knows me individually, He uses my faculties to communicate with my spirit in a way that I uniquely understand.)

I can still visualize myself sitting in that tiny classroom desk/chair, trying to recall the following:

• When had I first felt the Holy Ghost?
• When had I felt the Spirit most powerfully? 
• What were those feelings? 
• How was I able to identify them as divine revelation (as opposed to coming from some other source)?

Although I unfortunately no longer my class notes from that day, I was able to find other missionary journal entries referencing those MTC days where I described how I recognized the spirit:

• "It was like the top of my skull had been opened on a hinge, and pure intelligence was funneling into it, permeating every cell of my being."
• "I felt an immense presence/power inside my heart that seemed to give my mouth authority to speak."
• "The power of the Holy Ghost was radiating out from my whole being. It started at the center and extended out beyond my extremities."
• "My mind and entire being felt peaceful and comfortable with my decision; I couldn't help but feel confident that I had made the correct choice."
• "My mind and body finally felt connected/unified after a week of not being on the same page."
• "The Spirit communicates to me primarily through feelings of joy, then comes peace."

3) Elder Boyd K. Packer — "Feels like a still, small voice."

The Candle of the Lord was an address given at a seminar for new mission presidents by Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on June, 25th 1982. (I recommend reading this landmark address in full.) Below, I've included only a few selected passages from his talk that specifically relate to how to identify the Spirit in one's life:

"For when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men." (2 Ne. 33:1.) Then when we have a spiritual communication, we can say within ourselves, this is it! 

We do not have the words (even the scriptures do not have words) which perfectly describe the Spirit. The scriptures generally use the word voice, which does not exactly fit. These delicate, refined spiritual communications are not seen with our eyes, nor heard with our ears. And even though it is described as a voice, it is a voice that one feels, more than one hears. 

"A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas … and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1977, p. 151.) 

"All things whatsoever God in his infinite wisdom has seen fit and proper to reveal to us, while we are dwelling in mortality, in regard to our mortal bodies, are revealed to us in the abstract … revealed to our spirits precisely as though we had no bodies at all; and those revelations which will save our spirits will save our bodies." (Teachings, p. 355.) 

The voice of the Spirit is described in the scripture as being neither “loud” nor “harsh.” It is “not a voice of thunder, neither … voice of a great tumultuous noise.” But rather, “a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper,” and it can “pierce even to the very soul” and “cause [the heart] to burn.” (3 Ne. 11:3; Hel. 5:30; D&C 85:6–7.) Remember, Elijah found the voice of the Lord was not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but was a “still small voice.” (1 Kgs. 19:12.) 

The Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand. Rather it whispers. It caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all. (No wonder that the Word of Wisdom was revealed to us, for how could the drunkard or the addict feel such a voice?) 

Occasionally it will press just firmly enough for us to pay heed. But most of the time, if we do not heed the gentle feeling, the Spirit will withdraw and wait until we come seeking and listening and say in our manner and expression, like Samuel of ancient times, “Speak [Lord], for thy servant heareth.” (1 Sam. 3:10.)

For the sake of time, I deleted 12 additional paragraphs. (Here's the rest of Elder Packer's talk.)

Conclusion

Clearly, being able to recognize the intimations of the Holy Spirit is important to me. Even after years of study, I feel unable to articulate my experience with receiving revelation. But when God's Spirit speaks to me, I know it. I trust that ask I continue to practice seeking His guidance, comfort, and counsel, I will become more sensitive to those promptings and will be able to understand with greater ease and act with confidence that my will is aligned with His.

I'm curious how you would respond to the titular question; how are you able to recognize when God is communicating with you through the power or gift of Holy Ghost? If you feel so inclined, please leave a response below.