The Call To Change Ourselves

Scripture: Romans 12:2

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace be with you.

There are moments in life when we stand before a wall we cannot climb, a sea we cannot cross, a situation we cannot fix. And in such times, we often cry out to God, “Lord, why won’t You change this?”

But today, I bring before you a hard but liberating truth: When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

I want to share with you the words by Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist: "When we are no longer able to change the situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

These words were born from the darkest of human experiences. But they echo a biblical truth that God has been teaching humanity since the beginning: when the outer circumstances do not bend to our will, the Spirit of God calls us to be transformed inwardly.

Point 1: We Cannot Always Change the Situation

Many of us believe that if we just pray hard enough, if we just try a little more, the situation will change. Sometimes it does — praise God!

But there are valleys in life we must walk through. There are sicknesses that do not leave, people who do not repent, injustices that persist, and dreams that do not materialize.

Jesus Himself, in Gethsemane, prayed, “Father, if it be Your will, let this cup pass from me.” But the cup did not pass. What changed was not the cross, but the heart of Christ embracing the cross.

Lesson: Faith is not always about changing the storm, but about finding Christ in the storm.

Point 2: The Power of Inner Transformation

Romans 12:2 reminds us, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” That word transform is the same root used for Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration — it means a complete change from within.

The prison did not disappear when Paul and Silas were thrown into prison. The chains did not vanish immediately. But they began to sing. And in their worship, the prison shook. The change began within — and the miracle followed.

You see, when we stop striving to change the situation and start allowing God to change us, peace enters. Courage grows. Grace flows. And sometimes, that’s the very change the world around us needs.

Point 3: Suffering Can Lead to Growth

Viktor Frankl’s insight came from suffering — just like Job’s faith was refined through loss, and Joseph’s character was shaped in prison.

We are not promised ease, but we are promised purpose.

Maybe you’re facing a relationship that’s not healing, a financial situation that’s not improving, or a community that seems stuck in brokenness. Instead of asking “Lord, why won’t You fix this?” ask, “Lord, what are You trying to fix in me through this?”

God may be calling you to grow in patience, to cultivate resilience, to let go of pride, or to find joy not in the outcome but in His presence.

Conclusion: The Invitation to Change

Dear friends, hear this clearly: when you can’t change your situation, it does not mean God has abandoned you. It may mean He is calling you deeper — into surrender, into maturity, into Christlikeness.

So let us stop measuring success by what happens around us, and begin to measure it by what God is doing within us.

Let us remember what Frankl and Scripture teach us — that in moments of helplessness, God invites us to transformation.

Altar Call:

Today, I invite you to pray not for your mountain to move, but for the strength to climb it.

Not for your storm to cease, but for the faith to walk on water.

Not for others to change, but for your own heart to reflect more of Christ.

Amen.