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Your worth is not determined by your weight.

That statement is probably one that you would emphatically believe if you said it to your kids, your family, and your friends, but do you really believe it yourself?

This is not just another one of those “everybody is beautiful” or “love your body” kind of posts.

Many years ago, before I lost 100 pounds, I stepped on the scale in my bathroom every single morning.

My morning routine was to begrudgingly wake up (I am not a morning person), shuffle down the hallway to the bathroom, and weigh myself.

On the mornings when I’d lost weight, I was thrilled!

It was like the scale had given me permission to have a good day and I would happily hum my way back down the hallway to get dressed with an extra skip in my step.

I picked flattering outfits that made me feel good and matched the smile on my face. Those were the days I would usually make time to workout and make better food choices, simply because I felt good and I wanted to keep that going. I would text or call friends, make plans, do errands, get out of the house, and live, capturing joy along the way.

On the mornings when I’d gained weight, everything was different.

I started the day feeling devasted that my hard work wasn’t good enough (or that my poor choices had caught up to me). After seeing a number on the scale that deflated my mood, I would sadly trudge back to my bedroom and usually pick out an outfit that would hide my body (baggy t-shirts and sweatshirts were a common choice).

Those were the days I just wanted to hide from the world. If I worked out, it was to punish myself for the weight gain. If I ate healthy foods, it was me forcing myself to eat them, not enjoying them a bit.

If I ate unhealthy foods, those were the days I would binge in an effort to find comfort and happiness at the bottom of a box of Little Debbie’s.

I would keep to myself and spend the day covered in guilt, shame, and embarrassment.

All because of the number on the scale.

Your Weight Doesn’t Measure Your Worth

This is not just another one of those “everybody is beautiful” or “love your body” kind of posts.

Because your worth is not about your body.

You could be overweight, thin, tall, short, extremely hairy, or have 7 toes and you would still be worth just as much as the seemingly perfect girl on the magazine cover with smooth skin, toned thighs, and a flat stomach.

Honestly, I will probably never love every part of my body.

I am not one of those people who sees the excess skin on my stomach as some kind of badge of honor just because it’s part of my 100-pound weight loss story. It actually drives me quite nuts and I would love if it would just go away.

But I appreciate my body for what it is – my temporary dwelling place.

These hands are for serving, this mouth is for encouraging, these feet are for walking through life alongside people I love.

And even though this temporary dwelling place of mine is quite flawed, weak, and unreliable, I can still have confidence in knowing that I am enough.

Even with stretch marks.

Even with a muffin top.

Even with extra jiggle.

Because my worth comes from Christ alone.

My Worth Comes From Christ Alone

Am I beautiful?

My answer would probably depend on the day, my mood, the words of affirmation I’d heard recently, and about a million other factors.

But the one piece of me, the very core of my identity, is Christ. He is never-changing.

There is no rollercoaster of worthiness in my relationship with God. He is a part of me, now and forever, so I don’t have to worry about being good enough.

I have Him, so I already am good enough.

It’s nothing that I can earn. Whether I exercise harder, eat better, or make 1,000 mistakes today, I am good enough because of Him and you are, too.

Your worth is unwavering.

So, stop looking at the scale to define your identity (or your mood).

Don’t base your self-worth in your pant size, your running pace, or your daily calorie intake.

A really great book I’m reading right now on the spiritual disciplines called Solitude & Silence says,

You are of great worth to God, even when you do nothing.

Dwell on that truth for a minute.

Do you believe it?

Do you believe that right this very second, at the exact weight you are right now, that you are of great worth to God, whether or not you are eating salads and going to the gym?

Believing that core truth has the power to transform your weight loss journey.

Knowing Your Worth Changes Your Weight Loss Journey

If you believe you are already valuable, just the way you are, then when you are choosing to make healthier choices, you aren’t doing it out of desperation to earn more love (I’ve been there), but you are doing it as an expression of love and thankfulness to glorify God.

You are taking care of that temporary dwelling place He has given you and you are deciding to strengthen and restrain yourself, not as a punishment, but so that you can better nurture those around you.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. – 1 Peter 3:3-4

It’s not about being beautiful or thin or fit, it’s about being dearly loved in such an intimate, unshakable way that we can’t even fully grasp such a thing. It’s about gentleness, quiet, and trust that even without our best efforts, He is enough.

How are you going to rest in that truth today?

When are you most tempted to let the scale define your worth?

How can you fight against those temptations?

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