📖 “No one pours new wine into old wineskins… they will burst. New wine must be poured into new wineskins.”
Luke 5:37–38
Sometimes, what we call loss is really God making room.
It took me years to understand this — not in theory, but in the aching, holy mess of real life. There was a time when everything I had built began to unravel. What I thought was security turned out to be scaffolding, and God gently removed it, piece by piece. Friendships shifted. Roles changed. Dreams I’d long held close seemed to wither before me. I felt like I was losing everything.
But God, in His infinite tenderness, was creating space for something far better than I could imagine.
I see now how tightly I held onto familiar things — old mindsets, outdated patterns, and titles that gave me a sense of identity. But they were no longer serving me. In truth, they were limiting me. Like old wineskins cannot hold new wine, my old framework couldn’t contain the new calling God was preparing me for.
📖 New wine must be poured into new wineskins. — Luke 5:38
He was not punishing me. He was preparing me.
I remember one specific moment, sitting in our lounge, surrounded by boxes my brother helped me pack for our move after Jesse, Zane, Saoirse and Sean had moved out leaving me with the broken pieces of my own expectations. I whispered through tears, “I don’t know who I am anymore.” And in that quiet, raw place, I sensed Him say, “Good. Now I can show you.”
Letting go is not failure. It is a faithful surrender.
When God begins to shift the landscape of our lives, we might feel disoriented. But we are not being abandoned. We are being re-formed. A tree shedding its leaves is not dying — it’s making way for a new season of life. So are we.
📖 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” — Isaiah 43:18–19
You don’t have to understand the whole journey to release the next piece. Just begin. Trust that what God has for you is not only good — it’s fitting for who you are becoming.
“The Master Carpenter” captures the essence of transition — fluid, vulnerable, and laced with divine hope. The soft interplay of light and colour mirrors the soul’s journey of release and renewal. Just as new wine needs new wineskins, this painting reflects the moment of readiness — a sacred pause before receiving the new. It invites the viewer to not only let go but to embrace the beauty of becoming.
Reflection:
What are you still holding onto that no longer feels life-giving? 🤔 Is it a role, a belief, a habit—or perhaps an old version of yourself?
When you think about “new wine,” what kind of life or renewal do you sense God preparing you for? 🤔 Let yourself dream with Him.
How do you usually respond when God begins to loosen your grip on something familiar? 🤔 What emotions surface—fear, grief, excitement? 🤔
Can you name a time when letting go made space for something unexpectedly beautiful? 🤔 How did that experience shape your faith? 🤔
What does it mean to you personally to become a ‘new wineskin’? 🤔 How is God reshaping your capacity to hold the new? 🤔
Life Application:
Affirmation:
Creative Prompt:
Write a farewell letter to a version of yourself, a habit, or a belief you’re being called to let go of. Be honest, honouring how it once served you. Then, end the letter with a blessing for what’s coming — speak life over your future self and the new thing God is doing.
Closing Prayer:
God, I surrender what no longer fits. Give me courage to let the old fall away. I don’t want to cling to what You’re asking me to release. Thank You for the seasons of preparation. Thank You for pruning that leads to growth. I open my hands now, empty but expectant. Make me ready for the new wine You’re pouring into my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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