Becoming a follower of Jesus is not about showing up to church on Sunday, but about being His disciple seven days a week. A disciple, in Christian language, is one who learns from or follows Christ. To walk in Jesus’ footsteps means that we think His thoughts, speak His words, and perform His deeds. It’s a daily thing, and a different ordering of priorities – “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me”. In real terms, this “Christian walk” – or daily discipleship – involves living like Jesus on every level, inspired by love, humility and obedience to God’s Word.
How can someone follow Jesus every day in a down-to-earth kind of way? We start with what the Bible says about discipleship and then discuss practical habits and disciplines—prayer, studying the Bible, serving others, meeting together, and much more—that help Jesus-followers actually live out their faith. So we refer to the Bible and from instances of Christian life then and now. We examine the scriptural example of the early church (Acts 2:42) and time-honored practices of prayer and devotion as a model of what a routine of discipleship could look like here and now.
Do we need a practical guide? Unfortunately, many Christians struggle to keep up with these routines daily. Studies suggest that fewer than half of Americans pray daily (just under 44% or so) and only about one in five read the Bible outside of church on a weekly basis. These numbers underscore how quickly faith can be an afterthought. This article looks at straightforward steps and habits to help you process a new way of living so that engaging with Jesus is something you do naturally every single day.
Simple Discipling: A simple guide for tiring times
What It Means to Follow Jesus
Everyday Jesus following is a heart issue at its core. That means not putting ourselves first in the gospel, but putting Christ first. As Billy Graham once put it, “It is an ever true principle, ‘to follow Jesus always involves the diminishing of one’s self’ – it is always yes to God and no to self.” Practically, it means that out of love we obey His commands, we prefer His desires to our own, and we are willing to forfeit our convenience or comfort. In the New Testament, Jesus emphasized that the invitation to be His disciple is like a relationship of grace, continuous, on a day-to-day basis (Luke 9:23). It’s not a decision at one point in time but an ongoing process of becoming more and more like Christ.
Being a disciple of Jesus is also “learning how to become a master” of His doctrine of love. Restated by Jesus, the Law asks us to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). He told us that it is through us loving one another that people will know that we are His disciples (John 13:34-35). In a practical way, therefore, to follow Jesus means to emulate His love and truth each day – by serving others, living with integrity, forgiving those who have wronged us and showing the compassion that He poured out on the people he encountered.
The Place of Prayer Everyday
Prayer is the bedrock of following Jesus. Even He (Jesus) prayed much and taught us how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). Prayer helps us remain one with God during the day, directing our hearts and asking His counsel. Believers often treat prayer as part of a routine: morning into devotions to start the day, a mealtime prayer at lunch, small prayers during breaks at work, and a brief prayer before bed. Most traditions have designated times for prayer, such as morning, noon and evening, in order to remember God – a practice based on Jewish tradition (as in Psalm 55:17) and visible in early Christian devotion. Jesus’ disciple Peter, for example, would pray at noon as well: Acts 10:9 says “around noon” Peter went to the roof of the house to pray. This demonstrates prayer took precedence wherever he was at. A helpful discipline is not only to pray “as you go” but also to pray at specific times or in response to specific triggers during the day: for instance, immediately upon waking up, at some point before lunch, at bedtime—waiting, of course, for moments of quiet and solitude, though without being uptight about these moments, and remembering that “praying without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) is an aspiration, not a legal requirement.
For example, many believers pray briefly when they wake up in the morning, say a prayer of gratitude before meals, and use a prayer list or journal in the evening. You don’t have to pray for a long time, or use many words – even silent, truthful communication with God is praying. The key is consistency. As one writer observes, disciples such as Peter established regular rhythms of prayer (like at the time of noon) as part of their devotion. Today, we can do this by developing simple habits of prayer to fit into our schedule, asking the Holy Spirit to mold our hearts more into the person of Jesus every time we pray.
The Significance of Scripture and Meditation
Discipleship is lived out in the word of God on a daily basis. The Bible is the main means by which God speaks to us, so regular reading and meditating on the Scriptures are essential. The book of Acts points out that the early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” and to prayer. In other words, those first followers of Christ placed Scripture reading and reflection in a position of priority. If we imitate, we can base our day on specific Bible verses. Reading a chapter of the Gospels every morning, for example, or following a devotional plan, helps saturate our minds with Jesus’ life and teachings. Scripture can help steer our choices: In the heat of a decision, recalling a verse like Ephesians 4:32 (“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”) provides us with such a vision for a given situation.
Forming a habit of reading Scripture need not take long. Even five to 10 minutes a day can help if you do it regularly. One way is to employ something like a “SOAP” method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) to study a few verses and jot down any insights or applications you gain from them. Surveys suggest that few now read the Bible frequently — only 22% of Americans even read it weekly outside of religious services, per a 2014 survey, while 61% say they either rarely or never read it at all. With building the habits in our own lives, we can reverse that trend by beginning with some small change and by being consistent. We make God’s word the “lamp to our feet” (Psalm 119:105) by coming to it for wisdom every day: it aims our thinking and aligns our values with Christ.
Serving One Another, Living Jesus
There is no such thing as a solo act of following Jesus through life — it is always about the care of others. For whatever reason, when at its best, Christian leadership is servant leadership: Jesus washed his disciples’ feet (John 13) and the Son of Man “came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45). In practical terms, this involves asking ourselves how we love our neighbors today. That can be as mundane as listening to a friend — patiently — driving a neighbor to the store or volunteering some time at a shelter. Simple acts of generosity — our time, our expertise, our treasure — exhibit the love of Jesus. According to the New Testament, genuine faith leads to love in practice. According to Jesus, the world will know us by our love for one another, and Paul tells us to do good to everyone (Galatians 6:10). In other words, service is a defining characteristic of discipleship.
We also follow Jesus as we practice humility and honesty. Scripture commands us to “put off falsehood and speak truthfully” (Ephesians 4:25) and to “walk in the light” where we can be as ourselves without secrets. Practically, this looks likes consistently being reliable and real in the relationships of our day-to-day (at work, school, and home). If we have done something wrong or hurt someone, following Jesus means acting decisively to reconcile and forgive. Matt 5:23–24 says we should be reconciled before we worship (thus conflict is choking our spiritual life). We are also instructed in Colossians 3:13 to “bear with each other and forgive… just as the Lord forgave you”. In every-day encounters we “live like Jesus” by responding in kindness, not harshness, in forgiveness not in grudges.
Fellowship and Accountability
We’re not built to walk alone. He built His church on community (Matt. 16:18) and consistently met with His disciples. The early church were a great example of this – Acts 2:42 tells us they gathered “devoting themselves to… fellowship”. In practical discipleship, this involves being part of a local church or community of Christ-followers who will enable you to be a part of worship, learning, and growth. Other believers also give encouragement, correction and support. Hebrews 10:24–25 tells us not to “give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,” but instead, to encourage each other. Accountability partners or small groups are a wonderful way for us all to maintain goal progress: when we are accountable to e/o (sharing struggles and praying for each other) we are living clearly the Biblical principle of “encourage one another daily” (Heb 3:13).
In the fellowship we also come under godly leadership and teaching. Scripture tells us to obey and to be submissive to our leaders, because they “keep watch over you” (Hebrews 13:17). This doesn’t entail blind following, but it means listening to mature believers who lead us by the Word. In this manner, mentors, pastors or other Christians who are older than us help us to interpret Scripture and apply it. They are also examples in the Christian life. Their fellowship (Acts 15) supported Paul and Barnabas when things were tough. In the same way, today, so long as we are part of a faith community we get an example of Jesus-like living together and the support that keeps us when our faith is too small to handle things all by ourselves.
Applying Faith in Every Area
All of these principles combined mean that following Jesus each day becomes an integrated lifestyle, not just a series of boxes you have to check. Think of life as a race or training camp: Paul wrote that athletes should train to win a crown. Similarly, we are to “train ourselves to be godly” (1 Timothy 4:7). This means consistency. It’s better to pray a little each day than never at all, as life skills are built over time. The little moments count, things like choosing patience when we’re stuck in traffic, finding a kind word for a colleague, or taking a moment to focus on a Bible verse before we go to sleep, are all part of the journey toward a life lived like Jesus, moment by moment. Even on our busy-ist days, we can focus on brief reminders of God’s presence – a small prayer for guidance at the start of the day, a short gospel inspiration during the drive, or an evening thanksgiving prayer with the family for the day.
Being a follower of Jesus is not legalism. These habits are not how we earn God’s love – that battle has already been won by Jesus giving us grace. Instead, they are means by which to cooperate with that grace and mature in faith. One wise teacher once said that giving all we’ve got to “walking with God on a daily basis” may make more of a difference in the world than grand projects. Dozens of chances every day to be like Christ. The small things add up: praying, reading Scripture, loving our neighbors, and gathering together with God’s people all combine to lay a foundation that forms our character. We are made more loving, faithful and more like Christ.
In conclusion, learning to follow Jesus day by day demands deliberate, daily routines and attitudes. It also means making time for God, helping others as he did, being kind and truthful in a community and leaning on His strength. Don’t forget that growth can be slow, that a little daily progress in the right direction adds up to a life that looks more and more like Jesus. If you practice the above disciplines, you begin a process of real daily discipleship and deepen your continuing walk as a Christian.
Do I need to become or start doing everything on this list to be a follower of Jesus?
No, it’s not about being perfect, but growing. The habits described are lever pulls toward your own growth. Jesus loves you as you are and saves you by grace, not by checking off boxes. When you fall short (which we all do at times), confess it to God, learn from it, and move on. Continue to meditate on love for God and for others; you will find that you will grow increasingly Christlike as time goes by.
What if I skip a day of prayer or Bible reading?
Don’t be discouraged. Skipping one day won’t be a disaster. God’s mercy is new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), so you don’t have to carry your guilt with you the next day. The secret is perseverance, not perfection. Try to get into a steady rhythm: something is better than nothing, be it brief daily prayers or a few verses of Scripture in the morning. Those little effort are habits, and after a while they all add up and help to carry you and sustain you.
How can I witness to my faith or “serve as Jesus served” in my daily life?
Witnessing is not just preaching, it is often showing love as Christ did, by what you do. You can be of service by aiding your neighbors, pitching in at your church or community center, and giving of yourself, whether your time or some other resource, in a thoughtful way. Maintain honor and integrity at work or in school, render assistance to your fellow students or workers and be kind. In doing a small kindness (a kind word, a helpful attitude), you will be witnessing Jesus’ love naturally.
What if I feel isolated or don’t belong to a church community?
If you can find a local body of believers that teaches from the Bible and allows you to grow, great. Community is a gift from God – the writer of Hebrews 10:24-25 says we should not give up meeting together. If you aren’t able to find a community near you, look into online Bible studies or small groups. Just one or two friends or a mentor who is a Christian can inspire you. You can pray for God to bring the right folks into your life; and he often uses fellow believers to edify us.
What do I need to do to get started with daily discipleship?
It is good to start with prayer and the Bible. Just make a little extra time each morning to pray briefly and to read a passage of the Bible. Start simple — maybe with a theme like God’s promises or Jesus’ parables. You may subscribe to a devotional or Bible-reading plan. Once you have that habit in place, then start serving others or church fellowship. (GGIS) Spiritual growth is a journey, and a step at a time approach can yield permanent changes.
There are real concerns behind each of these questions. The responses affirm that discipleship is about heart and persistence, rather than perfection, and that God’s grace undergirds each step. By these small practical steps — in prayer, in Scripture, in service, in fellowship — you learn how to follow Jesus in your life for yourself. Just remember that the way of every believer looks a bit different, the goal is the same – a walk with Jesus daily marked by love, humility and obedience.
