Learning to follow

"I had been sitting under the tree for a long time, talking to God, when I heard God speak to me."  said the commencement speaker.
He was a minister and had gone to help at the rehab center because these men had been beaten down by their disease and had learned to rely on the God of their understanding for their very life.
"God spoke to my heart and told me that I had put my ministry ahead of my mission."

He wept.

He said we all have a ministry, be it as a parent, grandparent, nurse, teacher, clergy, business person or grocery clerk.
More important, we all have a mission.
That mission is the same for all of us.
It is to listen and follow the will of our Higher Power.
Our ministry my be wonderful. We may help many people. But if we impose our will, instead of listening and following the will of God, then we are not fulfilling our mission.

I have many ministries.
Father, grandpa, husband, son, nurse, union president, writer.
When I am not listening, when I am not following, then I am not fulfilling my mission.
If I try to do it my way, if I believe I have the answers, then my ministry has become more important than my mission.
None of us can lead if we are not willing to listen and follow.