Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with greif, for that would unprofitable for you.
I love the double blessing in that verse.
It takes all that the world says about obedience and submission and turns it right side up.
If church members are sweetly submissive to godly leaders then the leaders will have joy and the members will receive immense profit.
One way to bring joy to your leaders is to receive their counsel with open ears and a teachable heart.
Proverbs 9:8b-9
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
Puritan Pastor John Brown wrote this about counsel from spiritual leaders:
He may urge on you unpalatable truth – he may utter sharp reproofs; but recollect he has no choice; remember he is a man under authority. Put the question, “Has he said anything that Christ has not said?” If he has, disregard him; if he has not, blame him not, – he has but discharged his duty to his Master and to you; and recollect, you cannot in this case disregard the servant without doing dishonor to the Master.
If he had been appointed to amuse you, to speak smooth things to you, you might reasonably find fault with him for his uncompromising statements and his keen rebukes. But he watches for your soul. Your spiritual improvement, your everlasting salvation, is his object; and therefore he must not, to spare your feelings, endanger your souls.