It is a true statement that God desires our personal obedience over our ministry, but not an obedience that is disconnected from our heart. God is ultimately after our heart.
So often we want to "do ministry" to present it before God as if it were obedience to Him, but obedience is bigger than that. Obedience comes from walking with the Father each day and communing with Him in prayer. It comes from yielding to Him to do what He desires you do which will require you to lay down those things, at times, you might have made plans to do "for" Him.
And this is why we see Jesus go so often to be alone with Him in prayer. He wants to be in step with His Father because He loves His Father and earnestly desires to know His Father's will.
We can get so caught up in doing work "for God" that we don't take time to "be with God" in order to know what God wants from us at this time.
It can be a hard thing learning to commune with God. It is even harder learning to yield to God as you lay down your aspirations for crowds in the pursuit of the heart of God and faithfulness, obedience to His will. It seems like it is contradictory, but it isn't.
As hard as it is, and it is hard, it is worth doing. And #wedohardthings
#hittheprayercloset
#knowGod
May God bless your pursuit of His heart today and empower you as you seek Him.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike