Day 29: Horatio Spafford -“It Is Well With My Soul”
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.”
“Run at once to meet her and say to her, “Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?” And she answered, “All is well.””
Introduction
“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.”
Many Christians recognize this stanza from the famous hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul,” but few know the story that inspired this moving work. Written by Horatio Spafford in 1873, the hymn originated from his personal prayer and praise to God that grew out of suffering. In it, Spafford exemplifies complete trust in the Lord that leads to peace, no matter how great the loss.
It Is Well With My Soul
Tragedy first struck when Spafford lost his four-year-old son to scarlet fever, and only a year later, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 ravaged all of his real estate investments. These events took a toll on him and his family, so he decided to take a sabbatical with them and planned a holiday to England. But just as they were about to set sail, a sudden business development kept him from traveling. Not wanting to ruin the vacation for his family, he persuaded his wife and four daughters to go first. He would join them later.
Nine days later, however, Spafford received a distressing telegram from his wife: the boat his family had boarded was shipwrecked. His wife survived, but his daughters tragically passed away. Broken after hearing this devastation, he took the next available ship to be with his bereaved wife.
On the way to England, Spafford came across the place where his family was shipwrecked, and in that moment of overwhelming pain, he penned “It Is Well With My Soul.” Nothing made sense, and there seemed to be no end to his sufferings. Yet, he laid down his burdens before God and acknowledged His sovereignty. He knew that no matter what may come his way, the peace of God was still with him.
The lyrics reveal his unwavering faith and trust in God. Though his soul was deeply troubled, he knew that all was well because he and his family were in the loving hands of their God.
Reflection
Learning from Spafford’s life, we are reminded of the peace that comes when we bring our sufferings to Him and trust in Him. Therefore, let’s ask God to deepen our faith. He is the one who grants us endurance and enables us to remain in Him. As we cling to Christ, He becomes our unshakable rock when everything else seems to crumble. In Him we can always say, “It is well with my soul.”