One Day at a Time: What It Really Means to Follow Jesus Daily
Daily surrender and simple habits will help you to truly follow Jesus, one step at a time.
I have met a few people over the years that gave up everything to pursue full-time ministry work with no backup plan, no guaranteed salary, and with just a heart that felt deeply called. Some were still young and in their twenties. I admire them for their courage and absolute trust they have in God that He will provide. During a conversation I asked one of them how he handles the pressure. He replied, “I just take it day by day. Every morning I ask Jesus, ‘What’s my next step?’ And then I trust Him with the rest.”
That remark stayed with me, and when reading Luke 9:23, I realized that is the heart of Jesus. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” He’s not calling us to figure out the whole journey at once. He’s calling us to follow Him daily. Step by step.
This verse reminded me that being a disciple isn’t just about believing in Jesus or attending church on Sundays. It’s about how I live and how I choose to live every single day. Life is full of decisions, and over time, those decisions become our habits. That’s why this daily call matters so much.
When Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple,” He’s not talking to the perfect or the put-together. He’s talking to whoever. That includes you and me. He’s offering us the chance to walk closely with Him, but He’s also honest about what it costs. It means putting His way above our own comfort or ego. It means saying no to ourselves sometimes so we can say yes to Him.
“Take up your cross daily” doesn’t mean we have to suffer constantly or live in sadness. It means we intentionally choose the path of surrender. We say, “Jesus, lead me today,” and we trust that His way, even when it feels hard, is always the best way.
To be honest, good intentions alone won’t take us very far. That’s where habits come in. If I only follow Jesus when I feel like it, I’ll just drift. But if I build rhythms into my day, like starting with Scripture in the morning, taking moments to pray, and listening for His voice throughout the day, those habits will begin to shape my heart.
Following Jesus becomes not just something I do, but who I am.
If you don’t know how to start, keep it simple. Pick one thing you can do daily: maybe read a Psalm with your morning coffee, or pause at lunchtime to pray. Keep a notebook of things God shows you. These small choices create space for Him to speak and for you to grow.
The bottom line is, following Jesus isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about waking up each day and choosing Him again. Saying, “Yes, Lord. I’m still with You.” Over time, those daily yeses shape a life that’s deeply rooted in Him. One step, one habit, one choice at a time.