Fasting with Intentionality - Reflections from Luke 5:33-39
The season of December often brings images of joy, feasting, and celebration, but it can also be an opportunity for deep spiritual reflection and preparation for the coming year. As I continue my December journey through the book of Luke, I’ve arrived at chapter 5, and verses 33–39 stopped me. Here, Jesus discusses fasting with a depth and clarity that feels particularly relevant as we close out the year and prepare for the next.
In these verses, Jesus is asked why His disciples don’t fast like others. His response points to the deeper purpose and timing of fasting:
“Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.” (Luke 5:34–35)
This teaching reminds us that fasting isn’t just a religious ritual—it’s an act of preparation, longing, and alignment with God. But what can these verses mean to us today, especially during the festive and reflective season of December?
Fasting for the Believer
For someone walking in faith, fasting is a sacred practice of drawing closer to God. It helps us set aside distractions, recalibrate our focus, and seek His will with clarity. Jesus’ words remind us to approach fasting not out of obligation, but with purpose.
As the year winds down, this is a beautiful opportunity to reflect on how fasting can prepare your heart for what’s to come. What is God asking of you in 2025? Are there burdens, distractions, or habits you need to release to make space for His plans?
Fasting in December: Navigating a Festive Season
December is a time filled with joy, celebration, and feasting. For many, the idea of fasting now seems counterintuitive. Yet, Jesus’ words invite us to consider the “why” behind our fasting.
Fasting isn’t about rejecting joy or celebration; it’s about making room for spiritual nourishment amid the noise. Even in a season as busy as Christmas, fasting can help you connect with the true meaning of the season—welcoming Jesus into your life and preparing for His presence.
You don’t need to wait until January to begin fasting or setting spiritual intentions. Consider how small, intentional acts of fasting now can prepare your heart for the celebrations of Christmas and the new year.
Intentionality in Fasting: Lessons from Jesus
Jesus uses the example of new wine and old wineskins in this passage to show the importance of intentionality and readiness:
“No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out, and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.” (Luke 5:37–38)
When fasting, it’s not just about abstaining from food—it’s about making space for God to pour something new into your life. Are your “wineskins” ready to receive what He wants to give you? This might mean letting go of old mindsets, habits, or fears, so you can approach fasting with a heart open to transformation.
Start Now
Jesus’ teaching encourages us not to wait for the perfect moment. Instead of putting everything off until January 1st, why not begin now?
Set an intention for fasting this December. What will you focus on in prayer?
Identify small, manageable steps. Perhaps it’s a one-day fast or fasting from social media for an evening to spend time with God.
Reflect on what “new wine” God wants to pour into your life, and ask Him to prepare your heart to receive it.
A Prayerful Closing Thought
As we reflect on Luke 5:33–39, let’s remember that fasting is not about the act itself but the transformation it brings. It’s an invitation to align ourselves with God’s purpose and prepare our hearts for the new things He wants to do in our lives.
This December, as we celebrate the birth of Christ, let’s also embrace the spiritual discipline of fasting—not out of obligation, but as a way to welcome His presence more fully into our lives.
“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.” (Isaiah 40:29)
Let’s begin now, with intentionality, faith, and gratitude for the year behind us and the one ahead.
To live life to the full is to experience the overflow of God’s goodness—not just in material blessings but in peace, joy, and spiritual fulfilment. Often, we think of abundance in terms of having more, but God’s overflow operates differently. His abundance flows into the areas where we need it most: grace for our shortcomings, strength in our weakness, and provision in our lack.
