Is the Priesthood Calling You? [10 Signs It Might Be]

While we here at Divinity Clergy Wear primarily serve the priesthood with high-quality clergy robes for women & men (as well as a wide range of clerical accessories, shirts, jackets, and even preaching dresses) we’re also proud to serve as an educational resource as well.

For instance, perhaps you have felt at times throughout your life that the priesthood was calling you. Perhaps others have suggested it to you, or you’ve simply been dogged by the conviction that you should join the cloth.

If so, here are some signs that the calling to the priesthood may, in fact, be for you.

Thirst for the Scripture

If your daily life is guided, from top to bottom, by the light of the scripture, then a calling to the priesthood may indeed be legitimate.

Taking inspiration from scriptural corollaries in all you do may be a sure sign that you should consider taking your conviction seriously.

Do You Feel the Need to Give?

Generosity is a very important trait of a good cleric. This goes beyond mere wealth and possessions. Of course, there is righteousness in divesting the self of material goods in the interest of benefiting your brothers and sisters on earth, but generosity also extends to the spirit. Do you feel compelled to dispense freely of your spirit, time, energy, and compassion? These traits are also priestly.

Prayer Comes Naturally; It Is Involved, Not Mechanical

Ritual is a large component of clerical proceedings, but to the man of the cloth, prayer is not mechanical or repetitious. It is about seeking, about fostering a personal relationship with the Lord, this is never completed, but develops over a lifetime.

You Are Spurred by a Need to Help People

A good priest is insatiably compelled to serve as a spiritual leader, and as such is compelled by an innate desire, a tireless desire, to help others.

If you feel that you are consistently driven by compassion, a desire to truly understand others, and a yearning to spread the word of the Lord and enrich the lives of others through any means that you may furnish, a calling to the priesthood may be for you.

You’re Equally Comfortable Alone as When in Company

A confident priest must be equally comfortable by himself as he is among his flock. The development of your relationship with the Lord will require many hours of solitude, reflection, and prayer; the development of your relationship with your many children (your parishioners) will require just as many hours in company. Patience, acceptance, and compassion are traits of a good priest.

You Recognize - and Accept - That You Will Still Make Mistakes

A good priest recognizes that membership in the clergy does not exonerate human faults. Quite the contrary, many who accept the calling understand that they are the equals of their congregants, if not beneath them by virtue of their self-awareness.

Becoming a member of the clergy does not put you on a pedestal. You must still be willing to accept your faults and commit to learning from them in an attempt to be better.

You Listen, Naturally

No one - not even a priest - can help anyone without the ability to listen. Listening should not be something you need to remind yourself to do. You should listen first, instinctually. You must understand before you can attempt to help. Only then can you serve as an intercessor.

You Are Unafraid to Speak Out

Becoming a member of the church is not only about following established norms and rituals. You must be unafraid, as a spiritual leader, to use your voice as an instrument. Sometimes, this may require you to give voice to an unpopular view. This is not something you should necessarily shy away from.

Does Your Personal Relationship with God Fulfill You Completely?

Those that are called to the clergy are utterly fulfilled and uplifted by their personal relationships with the Lord.

“Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word the proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live,” (Deuteronomy 8:3). A calling to the church comes with this recognition that the true nourishment for the soul comes not by meeting bodily needs, but by fostering a relationship with the Lord.

Perhaps Most Important: Does the Prospect Daunt You?

Finally, and perhaps most interestingly, it should not only be with enthusiasm but also fear that you face the prospect of becoming an ordained member of the clergy.

This is because priests must also recognize that they are unworthy of the office they seek to fill. This does not mean that they should not try, however.

God calls whom he wants. The messenger might deem himself unworthy, as we are all steeped in original sin, but the ways of the Lord are as he chooses, and often to us, misunderstood.

Supporting the Priesthood with High-Quality Clergy Robes for Women & Men

Still wondering if the calling is for you? Consider consulting a spiritual leader in your church for guidance. He or she may have personal tales to offer that can shed some light on your present quandary.

We’re also here to help, for our part, and with more than just clergy robes for women and men. We’ve partnered closely with COGIC and other spiritual leaders to produce high-quality vestments and sets and if you need assistance, we will help in any way we can.

Feel free to reach out to us at 609-838-7154 if you need any help.