Day 16 - Lent 2026
Scripture: Romans 12: 1-2
Contributor: Deacon Chioma Okoro
Embracing Renewal And Growth - Shifted Perspective Brings Focus
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Thought
To embrace renewal is to release what no longer serves us like, old mindsets, wounded narratives and patterns that quietly hinder our Becoming. Growth begins when we courageously examine the lens through which we view our lives.
There is a saying: “Change the way you see things and the things you see begin to change.” For a long time, I struggled to understand that truth. I considered myself optimistic, yet I had to confront that even optimism can be misinterpreted sometimes used to silence truth or diminish purpose. In those moments, I would retreat inward, questioning my adequacy and wondering if I had failed. I felt like both the villain and the victor in my own unfolding story.
Renewal began when I embraced reflection instead of resisting it. I realized that the light placed within me by Christ could not be extinguished unless I surrendered it. That revelation shifted my perspective. I began renewing my thoughts, adjusting how I interpreted interactions, and changing how I spoke to myself after difficult moments. I resisted the urge to internalize the shortcomings of others and instead focused on refining my own growth.
My optimism was not denial it was endurance. It carried me through grief, through unanswered questions, through the pain of losing my mother too soon and navigating a world that did not understand my sorrow. Renewal did not erase the pain; it transformed my posture toward it. God did not remove the weight, but He strengthened my spirit to carry it with grace.
Through Christ, I learned that renewal is a daily surrender. It is allowing God to reshape my understanding, refine my responses, and restore my joy. It is choosing to align with His light even when shadows linger. And in that alignment, growth becomes not just possible it becomes inevitable.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we come before You with grateful hearts, acknowledging that You are the Author of renewal and the Giver of growth. Lord, I lift up every person who reads this devotion. You know their private struggles, their silent griefs, their unanswered questions, and the burdens they carry behind their smiles.
Lord Jesus, renew their minds where doubt has settled. Restore their confidence where disappointment has weakened resolve. Heal the tender places shaped by loss, misunderstanding, or weariness. Teach them how to release what no longer serves their purpose and to embrace the transformation You are cultivating within them.
Loving God, help them to see their lives through Your perspective. When they are tempted to internalize rejection or personalize the frailties of others, remind them of their identity in You. Strengthen their spirits to endure, not in denial of pain, but in the assurance of Your sustaining grace.
Father, awaken within them the courage to grow. Let Your light illuminate areas that need refining, and grant them the humility to surrender daily to Your shaping hand. Where there is heaviness, breathe fresh hope. Where there is confusion, bring clarity. Where there is fatigue, pour out renewed strength.
May Your promises anchor them. May Your love steady them. And may Your Spirit empower them to walk in continual transformation, reflecting Christ in both their joy and their trials.
We trust You to complete the good work You have begun in them. In Jesus name, Amen.