Have you ever asked yourself, “What are the things I cannot change?” The Serenity Prayer begins with this very truth:
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.”
I’ve prayed these words for more than a year and a half, but only recently did I stop to ask myself this question: What are the things I truly cannot change?
I Cannot Change My Past
The first and most obvious truth is this: I cannot change my past. None of us can. What’s done is done. The choices I’ve made, both good and bad, are behind me.
But here’s the hope: while I cannot change yesterday, I can choose differently today. I don’t have to repeat the same mistakes, even though habits and patterns try to drag me back. By God’s grace, I can walk forward.
I Cannot Change Other People
No matter how hard I try, I cannot change anyone else. People have their own free will. They will do what they want to do. My role is not to control them, but to focus on what God is asking me to do.
The best thing I can do for others is to be an example—living in obedience, humility, and love. Whether they receive it or reject it is between them and God.
I Will Make Mistakes
Here’s another reality: I will make mistakes. We all will. But mistakes don’t have to define us—they can refine us. Growth comes not from being perfect, but from learning through our failures. If I stumble but lean on God, the failure becomes a teacher instead of a chain.
Accepting What I Cannot Change
My past. Other people. The inevitability of mistakes. These are just a few of the things I cannot change.
But here’s the beauty: I don’t have to stay stuck in regret, resentment, or control. When I accept what I cannot change, I find freedom. And when I focus on what I can change—my choices, my attitude, my obedience—I step into the peace that God promises.