OPINION:
John Kasich has experienced power and prestige at the highest levels of government, serving as the governor of Ohio and even vying for the presidency of the United States.
But it was his discovery of and devotion to faith, love and forgiveness that ushered in the most transformational life lessons for the jovial politician.
Mr. Kasich, who grew up Catholic, recently told me how he drifted away from his childhood faith when he reached college — a common experience for many young people today.
But a heartbreaking family tragedy catapulted him into chaos, examination and spiritual perplexity before ricocheting him back to belief.
“In 1987, my parents were killed by a drunk driver,” he told me on The Washington Times’ “Higher Ground Podcast,” explaining how that experience forced him to think deeper about whether he believed “God actually existed,” among other queries.
Mr. Kasich’s curiosities, of course, stretched much deeper than this most basic question, with larger theological questions hanging in the balance. Death and horror can often spark such desperation-inspired fits of introspection.
“[I also wondered], ’Where is He and where am I?’” he said of God.
As Mr. Kasich processed these questions amid the haze of grief, many people showed up to support and help him through the process. That emotional and spiritual support was key to helping him navigate the uncertainty and the associated emotions.
At one point, the enigmatic Mr. Kasich found himself in came to a head when a preacher he knew paused and asked a question that left him stumped.
“He said, “Well, where are you vis-a-vis your eternal destiny?’” Mr. Kasich recalled. “I couldn’t answer the question, and he said, ’Well, there’s a window of opportunity, and this is important for everybody. There’s a window of opportunity that opens even when really bad things happen. The question is, can you go through that window of opportunity and find yourself?’”
That question burst open a window into deeper meaning for Mr. Kasich, and he found himself on a path toward discovering eternal truths.
“I happened to find myself through the lens of faith,” he said.
Mr. Kasich’s spiritual growth has been “a process” and something to which he has dedicated much of his time, with the pursuit transforming his heart.
“I’m healed,” he said. “I feel like I’m free. I feel like I can have a lot of fun. I’m open.”
Part of that healing process was discovering the power of forgiveness — an almost unfathomable prospect for a young man whose parents were so tragically taken.
Before finding inevitable freedom, Mr. Kasich stoked the flames of his own anger, refusing to offer absolution to the man responsible for killing his mother and father.
“When my parents were first killed, I was very angry about it,” he said. “And I was very upset because this guy had killed two people, and we’d write a letter whenever he would come up for parole or whatever saying he shouldn’t get one.”
Eventually, though, something shifted in Mr. Kasich’s heart.
“Over time, I can remember telling my sister, ’Enough’s enough. If that guy could turn the clock back, he would. He didn’t want to do what he did,’” he said. “I’m not carrying any scars from this. It’s really amazing. That’s the grace of God, too.”
This level of grace seems almost otherworldly. Yet, Mr. Kasich, looking through the lens of faith and truth, came to understand that anger and bitterness would inflict insufferable scars and pain.
In giving absolution, Mr. Kasich found ultimate freedom. And he offered a stirring message to others struggling with similar circumstances: No matter how dark life feels, there is always hope.
“In the beginning of [tough and tragic times], we mourn, and we are devastated, and we are devastatingly sad, but we have to always look for the light because there is a light,” said Mr. Kasich, who has written a new book, “Heaven Help Us: How Faith Communities Inspire Hope, Strengthen Neighborhoods, and Build the Future.”
“And if you can find the light, you can heal. You can’t skip the first part — you can’t skip the mourning, you can’t skip the devastation.”
Over time, he said healing is attainable so long as people persist and turn their pain over to God.
In a world of politics and theatrics, Mr. Kasich’s candid discussion of faith and forgiveness offers a breath of fresh air — and a lesson for us all. It’s much easier to harbor anger and discontent, yet the path to freedom is release and trust in the Almighty.
Even when it feels insurmountable and impossible, Mr. Kasich’s experience reminds us that anything is possible with God’s help. All we have to do is seek and ask for strength and He’ll graciously provide it.
• Billy Hallowell is a digital TV host and interviewer for Faithwire and CBN News and the co-host of CBN’s “Quick Start Podcast.” Mr. Hallowell is also the author of four books.
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