Most of us love the idea of new things. New year. New habits. New prayers. New faith goals. We’re very into the new wine part. What we’re less excited about? New wineskins.
Jesus once said, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins” (Luke 5:37). Not because the wine is bad—but because the container can’t handle what’s coming. New wine expands. Old wineskins crack. And nobody wants wasted wine.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: sometimes the biggest barrier to growth isn’t our sin—it’s our familiarity. The ways we’ve always thought. The spiritual rhythms we’ve outgrown. The “this worked once” faith that quietly resists transformation. We don’t mean to get stuck. We just get… comfortable.
Paul puts it this way: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, CSB)
New creation. Present tense. Ongoing reality. Which means discipleship isn’t about stacking more spiritual information onto an old framework—it’s about allowing God to reshape the framework itself.
That takes humility. The kind that says, “Lord, maybe I don’t have this as figured out as I thought.” The kind that admits mental agreement without heart transformation doesn’t actually change anyone. The kind that lets God say, “We’re going somewhere new—but you can’t bring that mindset with you.”
Peter’s story reminds us this is normal. Jesus didn’t wait until Peter had it all together. He called him in the middle of his mess. And instead of discarding him when he failed, Jesus kept shaping him—through obedience, correction, failure, restoration, and intentional following.
Discipleship is learning to live flexible enough for God to keep expanding us.
Peter later wrote: “Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded, and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13, CSB)
That phrase—minds ready for action—is intentional discipleship language. Growth doesn’t happen by accident. Neither does transformation. God supplies the grace, but we choose the posture.
So here’s the question this week isn’t “Do I want new wine?” It’s “Am I willing to become new wineskin?” Because God isn’t finished with you yet—and what He’s pouring out next is worth making room for.
A Response for the Week:
Set aside 10 intentional minutes this week—no multitasking, no scrolling. Ask God: “Is there a mindset, habit, or assumption You’re inviting me to release so I can grow?” Listen. Write it down. Pray over it. And choose one small, obedient step that creates space for what God wants to do next.