Months and months of blood work, doctor appointments, research, and waiting. Every symptom was looked at, and every new pain became a concern. Combing through online research, and multiple phone calls to specialists. Worry, fear, and uncertainty laced our present thoughts and blocked our future. Our past was magnified with thoughts of what ifs and should haves.

Those were the months we lived as the physicians were trying to diagnose our 16-year-old daughter, and rule out a rare form of cancer.

Now months have past, and everything has settled. Kaitlyn does not have cancer, and what she does have is treatable. Looking back at the start of the year everything seemed so magnified. Even minor symptoms she still has, back then seemed like such a big deal.

When something is placed under a magnifying glass it grows in size, and all attention is on it. We can do this with our past. We’ll keep a magnifying glass on it and the past becomes so big that it infiltrates our present and dictates our future.

 But here is the one thing I do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me. Phil 3:13

There comes a time when the magnifying glass has to be removed from the past so we can see what’s in our present, and what’s coming for our future.

The past is good to look at to learn from, but if we remain focused there we won’t learn and we won’t move on.

Jesus desires to heal us from our past. He desires our present focus to be on Him, and continue to move toward the things of Him in our future. We can only do that by repositioning the magnifying glass.

What Are Your Thoughts: Are you struggling with letting go of the past? Are you holding onto grudges? Does your magnifying glass need to be repositioned? Maybe it’s time to receive some forgiveness and healing of your past, and extend some forgiveness to other in order to let go of what is behind you.