Reflections from Thailand: When Healing Takes Courage

My time teaching Healing in Christ at The Wellspring in Chiang Rai, Thailand, reminded me that we in the West can easily take for granted the opportunities we have for counseling, mentoring, and personal development. When someone is motivated to heal, there are often multiple avenues available—and frequently friends, family, churches, counselors, or communities cheering them forward.

That is not everyone’s experience.

As I taught the students in Thailand, it quickly became evident that vulnerability—especially discussing painful emotions or experiences from childhood—was foreign to many of them. For some, openly acknowledging that something within their family had wounded them could be perceived as dishonoring those they love, betraying the family, or bringing shame.

Yet I watched something beautiful happen.

As we talked about God’s grace, the Father’s heart, and what it truly means to receive the Spirit of adoption, walls began to come down. Students began recognizing that God was not asking them to hide their pain in order to honor Him. He already knew their stories—and He cared about what had happened to them.

For some, simply discovering that other believers cared about their pain was transformational. Shame began losing its power. Secrets were brought into the light. Tears came. Prayer followed. And I witnessed students experience freedom as they realized: I am seen. I am loved. I belong.

Perhaps those were some of the greatest miracles I witnessed in Thailand—not spectacular moments that could be captured in a photograph, but the quiet miracle of a human heart discovering it is safe to be known.

Healing does not dishonor our story. Healing allows God to redeem it.

And when the family of God becomes a safe place where people can bring what has been hidden into the light, we demonstrate something powerful to the world: this is what the Father’s house is supposed to feel like.