I made four mistakes in my preliminary steps in this way...by Shaykh Abu Yazid al-Bistami

I made four mistakes in my preliminary steps in this way:

I thought that I remember Him and
I know Him and
I love Him and
I seek Him,
But when I reached Him I saw that

His remembering of me preceded my remembrance of Him and
His knowledge about me preceded my knowledge of Him and
His love towards me was more ancient than my love towards Him and
He sought me in order that I would begin to seek Him..!

~ Shaykh Abu Yazid al-Bistami