I haven’t always observed Lent, but this year, I felt called to something different. A challenge from my Pastor encouraged me to step into the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday as a season of intentional reflection, repentance, and self-denial. Without overthinking it, I knew what I needed to give up: the scale.

You see before lent, I had developed a not so great morning routine. After waking up, I’d strip down and hop on the scale for a “dry” weight. The number that appeared would then define my day, shaping my mood and mindset. Sound familiar?

That number becomes the “defining.” The voice that told me if I was doing okay in my body or if I needed to “try harder.” That number felt like everything. If it was higher than I hoped, I’d start planning my meals for the day—cutting out carbs, dessert, or anything that might “mess up” my progress. If the number was lower, I’d feel a brief sense of victory. But it never lasted long. I was constantly defining myself by that number.

But something changed on day 36 of my Lenten journey the “refining”.

God has been doing a new number on me (and yes, that pun was intended!). In the first days of Lent, I had to catch myself from stepping on that scale out of habit. Now, instead of weighing myself, I’m waking up and heading straight to the kitchen for that first, glorious cup of coffee—no number needed.

And here’s the revelation: the number on that scale doesn’t matter.

This freedom from the scale is where the refining happens.

It’s not just about skipping a weigh-in. It’s about surrendering something I once used to measure my worth. It’s about exchanging control for trust. The absence of the number has made room for Presence—God’s presence, unmeasured and immeasurable.

I’ve begun to feel a sense of tranquility. The Lord is helping me unlearn the pressure I put on myself for so long to stay within a certain weight range. My morning workouts and walks with my husband are still an important part of my routine, but I no longer let that scale dictate my worth. It’s just a number, not my identity.

If you’ve ever been in a place where the scale defines you—where a number feels like it carries more weight than the truth of who you are—I want to invite you into a season of refining. What would it look like if you could let go of the lie that your worth is wrapped up in your weight or appearance?

Maybe, just maybe, you, too, can begin to let go of the world’s beauty standards and embrace the true beauty that God sees in you. You are a beloved daughter of the King, not defined by the number on a scale but by His love, grace, and the unique purpose He has for you.

So, I’m challenging you: Let God do a “number” on you. Let Him refine you. Let Him show you that you are already beautiful in His eyes.

Could it be time for you to move from the defining to the refining? 

Psalm 66:10 (NIV) is my prayer for us all:
“For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.”