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Main Scripture
“Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’”
—Luke 9:23, NKJV
Following Jesus is a daily calling. In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” These words come after Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ and Jesus’ announcement that suffering lies ahead. Jesus then makes clear that following him involves surrender.
The word “daily” is especially important. Discipleship reaches into the ordinary decisions of life. It is expressed not only in major moments of commitment, but also in the way we respond when our preferences, impulses, plans, or desires come into tension with the way of Jesus.
To deny ourselves does not mean despising ourselves or ignoring legitimate needs. It means that self is no longer the final authority. Following Jesus requires us to ask what faithfulness to him calls for, even when another response would be easier, more comfortable, or more immediately satisfying.
Taking up the cross carries an even stronger meaning. For Jesus’ first hearers, the cross was an instrument of suffering and death. His words made clear that discipleship could involve sacrifice, rejection, and costly obedience, even when following him was uncomfortable.
At the same time, most of our daily acts of discipleship will be quiet and ordinary. They happen in conversations, decisions, interruptions, responsibilities, disappointments, and relationships. We may have to decide whether to defend ourselves, hold our tongue, tell the truth, keep a commitment, release an offense, admit that we were wrong, or place someone else’s need ahead of our convenience. These moments can become places of discipleship.
This week’s spiritual practice is to pause at ordinary decision points and ask:
What does following Jesus require of me here?
That question brings discipleship out of the abstract and into the life we are actually living.
Sometimes the answer may be immediately clear. At other times, we may need to slow down, pray, remember the teaching of Scripture, or consider the character of Christ. The purpose is to become more attentive to the connection between following Jesus and the choices we make.
We can easily move through a day on habit, emotion, urgency, or preference. We answer quickly. We react defensively. We choose what is convenient. We follow established patterns without asking whether those patterns reflect the way of Christ. Pausing can interrupt that momentum and help us become more deliberate about how we respond.
Before responding, deciding, or acting, we can ask what faithfulness looks like in this particular situation. The question may arise in a difficult conversation, a work decision, a family responsibility, a moment of temptation, or an unexpected opportunity to serve.
Following Jesus is not always complicated. Sometimes we already know what faithfulness requires, but we need the willingness to do it. At other times, the faithful response becomes clearer as we bring the situation honestly before God.
Over time, this kind of attentiveness can change the questions we instinctively ask. Instead of asking only, “What do I want to do?” or “What would be easiest?” we begin to ask, “What would it mean to follow Jesus here?”
That shift matters because discipleship is more than agreement with Jesus’ teaching. It involves allowing his teaching and example to shape our actual lives.
The phrase “follow Me” is personal. Jesus does not simply offer a set of principles and send his disciples away to apply them on their own. He calls people to follow him. Christian discipleship is rooted in relationship with Christ. We listen to his words, observe his way, depend on his grace, and learn to walk in obedience to him.
This does not mean that every daily decision will come with an obvious biblical verse attached to it. Many situations require wisdom. Yet Scripture gives us a clear picture of the kind of life Jesus calls us to live: a life marked by truth, love, humility, mercy, faithfulness, courage, holiness, and service.
The more familiar we become with the character and teaching of Jesus, the better prepared we are to recognize what following him may require in the circumstances before us.
Next week in The Dialogue, Dr. Kenneth Hammonds will lead our second session, Becoming a Disciple of Jesus, from Luke 6:40. This week’s practice offers a simple way to prepare for that conversation. Before considering more fully what it means to become a disciple, we can begin by noticing the daily moments in which Jesus calls us to follow.
Whether or not you participate in The Dialogue, the invitation remains the same. Jesus still calls his people to follow him in the life they are living today.
Try It This Week
During the week, pay attention to ordinary moments when you have a real choice about how to respond.
When one of those moments comes, pause and ask:
What does following Jesus require of me here?
Then consider:
- What am I inclined to do?
- What do I know about the way of Jesus?
- Is there something I need to surrender?
- What response would reflect faithfulness to Christ?
You do not need to manufacture situations for this practice. Simply notice the decisions already built into your day.
At the end of the day, reflect briefly on one moment when asking the question helped you respond differently or see the situation more clearly.
Reflection Question
In what part of my daily life do I most need to ask, “What does following Jesus require of me here?”
A Prayer for the Week
Lord Jesus, teach me to follow you in the ordinary places of my life.
Help me notice the moments when my preferences, habits, emotions, or desires compete with your way. Give me wisdom to recognize what faithfulness requires and courage to respond.
Teach me to surrender what needs to be surrendered and to trust you when obedience is costly. Let your words and your character shape the choices I make.
Keep me close to you, and teach me to follow you day by day.
Amen.
Closing Thought
Following Jesus becomes concrete in the choices before us. This week, pause long enough to ask what faithfulness to Christ looks like in the moment you are facing.
A Note to Readers
The next gathering of The Dialogue is Tuesday, August 18.
The Dialogue is an online Bible study and formation community for people who want to grow in Christ through Scripture, spiritual practice, and thoughtful conversation. We meet on the first and third Tuesdays from 7:00–8:30 p.m.
In Session 2, Dr. Kenneth Hammonds will lead us in exploring Becoming a Disciple of Jesus from Luke 6:40. This week’s practice prepares us by bringing discipleship into the ordinary choices of daily life.
You can learn more at wholenesspathway.org.
