Am I Following Christ?

by Bermie Dizon

Sometimes the hardest part of faith is realizing that following Jesus may slowly change us in ways we didn’t expect. Let me explain.

For many years, my life was shaped by the church environment. I preached from pulpits, studied Scripture seriously, led congregations, buried the dead, officiated weddings, and sat with families in moments of deep grief. My faith was not formed in theory alone, but in prayer, service, and walking with people through real life. My point is this: I am not what I am today quickly or carelessly.

Over time, I learned to read Scripture not to prove a point, but to know Jesus more deeply. I listened. I studied. I tried to take Jesus at his word, not selectively, not only when it was comfortable, and not only when it supported what I already believed.

Here is what I discovered. The more seriously I took Jesus, the more his life and teachings shaped me. My faith began to shift from defending ideas to embodying love, from certainty to humility, from protecting traditional systems to caring for people.

What challenged me most was watching Scripture used in ways that wounded others, especially those Jesus consistently drew near to. That tension led me to pause and ask a simple but searching question: Am I following tradition, or am I following Christ?

Jesus was clear about the heart of his kingdom.

“Blessed are the poor. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Blessed are the peacemakers.”

Again and again, Jesus moved toward the vulnerable, the forgotten, and the hurting.

In Matthew 25, he teaches that how we treat the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the imprisoned, and the stranger is how we treat him. That truth continues to guide my conscience and my faith. I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live, I live by faith in him (Galatians 2:20). Jesus is the one we exalt.

Micah 6:8 echoes the same heartbeat: to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

And when Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, his answer was simple and unwavering: love God and love your neighbor.

At the same time, I have not come to believe that following Jesus means walking alone. Being part of a congregation still matters deeply. Jesus did not call isolated individuals, he formed a community. He gathered disciples, ate with them, taught them together, corrected them together, and sent them out together. The Church was never meant to be a performance to attend, but a body to belong to.

Attending church matters because it is where we learn to love imperfect people in real time. It is where we practice forgiveness, humility, patience, and shared hope. It is where we carry one another’s burdens, worship together, receive teaching, and are reminded that faith is not just personal, but communal. Christ desires a gathered people who reflect his love to the world, not spectators, but participants in his life and mission.

So if my faith looks different today, it is not because I walked away from Jesus.

Nope.

It is because I am still listening to him, still walking with his people, and still allowing his words, his compassion, and his way of life to shape me.

Concluding Thought
Following Jesus is not about standing still in certainty. It is about walking with him, and with one another, letting his love gently reshape our hearts, our priorities, and the way we see others. It is about growing in grace, in knowledge, and in community.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Teach us to listen closely to your voice. Free us from fear and pride, and form in us hearts of compassion, humility, and love. Help us follow you faithfully, not just in belief, but in the way we live, love, and belong to one another each day. Amen.

Questions For the Heart
Where might Jesus be inviting me to listen more deeply to his words today?

Are there places where I am clinging more tightly to tradition than to Christ?

How can I reflect Jesus’ compassion more clearly within my church and my daily relationships?

God’s Word For Your Day (NIV)

Matthew 22:37–40

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Micah 6:8

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Matthew 25:40

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

BERMIE DIZON is a retired pastor of Grace Communion International (GCI), Glendora, CA and a former writer for USA Tribune for nine years. He is the author of the book “God In Every Step” and has now published his second book, “God In Every Heartbeat” which contains 52 heartfelt devotionals drawn from personal stories, Scripture, and the lives of others. You will be reminded that God is with you in every breath, every joy, and every struggle. The book is now available at Amazon.