Wow I have heard this a few times in my life but I don't think that I ever got it.

In Genesis 11 God tells Abram to leave his family and he gets close to where God was calling him but close is not obeying, it is disobeying. It was not until Abram's dad died that Abram did what God asked him to do. Look at what Jesus in Matthew 8. He says follow me and when the man answers I need to bury my dad then I can. It was not that his dad was dead and waiting a burial. It was that he could not go because of family obligations.

What is more important to you family obligations or going where God calls you?

I know that is a hard question. I have followed and fallen and yet who picked me back up? God! So maybe we need to be still and hear from the God of heaven where he wants us to go.