Jesus, Trauma, and THC
Finding Healing in Unexpected Places
When it comes to healing, we often think it only happens at the altar. But what about healing that occurs at a pharmacy, a clinic, or even with a bottle of CBD oil 🌿? In this blog, we're exploring a conversation that's long overdue in the church—the role of alternative healing for those dealing with trauma, anxiety, chronic pain, and mental health challenges.
👉 To be clear, this isn’t about pushing recreational marijuana use. Our focus is on medical intervention, therapeutic support, and—most importantly—loving people ❤️ even when their path to healing looks different from our own.
Why the Church Struggles with Alternative Healing 🕊️
For decades, words like CBD, hemp, cannabis, THC have carried heavy stigma 😬. In church culture, these terms often spark fear instead of understanding.
Part of the reason is cultural history 📜: in the 1960s and 70s, cannabis became linked with counterculture—rebellion ✊, free love 💕, and lifestyles that churches often saw as dangerous, sinful, or even demonic 👿. Because of that association, the plant itself was written off as “the work of the devil,” and people who used it—whether recreationally or medicinally—were often judged harshly.
Meanwhile, prescription medications with long lists of side effects 💊⚠️ were accepted without question. The result? We’ve trusted the pill, feared the plant, and overlooked the people.
A Personal Journey Through Trauma and Healing 💔➡️💡
This conversation isn’t abstract—it’s deeply personal for many, including myself. I’ve struggled with complex PTSD and ADHD for years. In 2017, after trying to survive in silence 🤐, I sought professional help through an extensive treatment program.
Doctors prescribed a cocktail of medications 💊—antidepressants, Xanax, antipsychotics. While they managed some symptoms, they also:
Shut me down mentally 🧠
Diminished my clarity of thought 💭
Stifled my creativity 🎨
Left me feeling numb, more like a zombie than a person 🧟
Further testing revealed my body processes medication differently. Even small doses left me non-functional.
That’s when my psychiatrist introduced me to CBD 🌿, the non-psychoactive part of the hemp plant. Under his care, I found relief—and later, I enrolled in the Texas Compassionate Use Program for medical cannabis.
What Science Actually Says About Cannabis 🔬
When we look at research (not rumors 👀), here’s what we see:
Virtually zero deaths from THC overdose 🚫⚰️ compared to tens of thousands from opioids.
Seniors 👵, veterans 🎖️, and trauma survivors 💔 are finding relief from PTSD, anxiety, and chronic pain.
The VA and FDA are testing cannabis therapies for veterans.
Studies show that CBD and THC can bring stability when pharmaceuticals fail.
As Jesus once used mud and spit 👀💧 to heal a blind man—something messy and unconventional—maybe what looks messy to some could be someone else’s miracle. ✨
Stewardship, Not Stigma 🙌
Can THC be abused? Yes. But so can coffee ☕, food 🍔, social media 📱, or approval-seeking 👍. The issue isn’t the plant—it’s the posture of the heart ❤️.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:12: “I have the right to do anything—but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything—but I will not be mastered by anything.”
Healing isn’t about escape. It’s about wisdom 🧠, balance ⚖️, and walking in freedom 🕊️.
Healing That Looks Different 🌍
Over my 40+ years in ministry ⛪, I’ve seen believers—under medical supervision—step away from addictive prescriptions 🚫💊 and find peace through low-dose THC 🌿.
They weren’t chasing a high. They were chasing healing. 🩹
They still loved Jesus ❤️. They still served faithfully 🙏. They weren’t rebellious—they were recovering.
A Message to Those Who Feel Seen 👀❤️
To trauma survivors, veterans, those battling ADHD, anxiety, or chronic pain—you are not weak 💪, broken 🧩, or second-class believers. If you’ve found relief through medical cannabis, you’re not defined by stigma. You are healing 🌱. And God is walking with you 👣.
A Message to Those Who Feel Uncomfortable 😬
If this makes you pause, that’s okay. We’re not asking for blind agreement—we’re inviting prayer 🙏, discernment 🕊️, and compassion 💕.
Ask yourself:
Is my discomfort rooted in God’s truth 📖 or just tradition?
Am I protecting people 🧍 or my comfort zone?
Can I make room for someone’s healing even if it looks different from mine?
Final Word 📝
This is not about promoting recreational marijuana 🚫. It’s about protecting people from shame 😔 and judgment ⚖️ as they navigate their healing journey. Cannabis isn’t for everyone, and legal/ethical considerations matter.
But the church’s role is clear: create safe spaces 🏠, extend grace ❤️, and love people well 💕. Healing may not look like we expect—but Jesus, the true Healer ✝️, meets us in every place of pain.
(New Living Translation Bible, 1996)
(New King James Version, 1975)