At other times, I have been left to wonder why I felt the spirit. Was the lord testifying to a true principle, was he sending me a love note, letting me know my life was consistent with His will, was he pleased with an act of service I had just performed?
In those times we need to be cautious to not force a meaning upon the experience, morphing the experience into a verification of a desire of our hearts. I have been guilty of that.
Once I prayed for months begging the Lord to confirm my decision to marry a young women, with no tingling, no power, no result, even though I wanted it with all my heart and felt really good about it😊. One day, while talking with another student about the strength of pioneer women, the thought came into my head how the young woman I was waiting for was like that, and I felt the spirit. I jumped with joy that the Lord had finally answered my prayer just how I wanted him to. I felt the tingling, the burning, in a thought associated with that person, and willfully, unwisely, forced the interpretation to be that God had granted me his blessing.
I contrast that to when I humbly and in fasting went before the Lord to ask about marrying my dear wife. The spirit literally swelled within me filling my entire being, and it did so on several occasions, each in response to a specific humble prayer being offered.
My desires on both occasions were the same, real and intense, however in one, I would not take no for an answer, and forced my will on the spirit, on the other, the Lord made it clear to me he approved by granting me the spiritual intensity in direct response to my pointed question.
So as willful mortals we do need to be careful about twisting our interpretations of the feelings of the Holy Spirit in an attempt to get our way, and avoid seeking to MAKE the spirit validate our selfish desires.