It is Well with My Soul

We actually sang this song in church and after a conversation with some friends, I wanted to remember the history behind the song.  In my mind, I actually tied both the song and our conversation together and did some research just to bore the masses here.

The song is penned by a man named Horatio Spafford in the late 1800's.  Mr. Spafford walked through a very difficult life to say the least.  In 1871, his four year old son died.  Shortly after that (same year), a historic Chicago fire ruined him financially.  In 1873, he was planning a trip to Europe with his family but sent them ahead by boat since he was dealing with zoning problems after the fire.  The ship carrying his family collided with a sailing ship and all four of Spafford's daughters died.  His wife Anna survived and sent him a now famous telegram that simply said "Saved alone...".

As Spafford sailed to his wife to comfort her, he penned the hymn "It is Well with My Soul" as he sailed near the area where his children had died.

If I stopped here, that would be enough for just about anyone.  But the story goes on.  The Spaffords later had three more children.  Another son died in infancy.  You would think at this point, that they would check out.  But not the Spaffords.  They moved to Jerusalem and founded a group called the American Colony whose sole purpose was to serve the poor.  The colony became the subject of the Nobel prize winning "Jerusalem" by Swedish novelist Selma Lagerlof.  Their love for God and their realization of His love for them brought God glory in a way they could never have realized.

You see, Horatio and Anna Spafford longed for a better country.  They knew that this life was temporary and they chose to give their lives to Christ despite their adversity.  They were "Heavenly minded".  It reminds me of this verse:

Hebrews 11:16
Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Tough times will come.  There is nothing concrete about our world.  It will change and in time, our lives will too.  The one constant that we have is that God loves us and will never leave us and He states it clearly in Hebrews 13

Hebrews 13:5b

Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you.

It is with that concrete foundation of eternal love, that we become heavenly minded and realize that our lives have been set into place to serve God, love God, and give ourselves to Him in all we do.

Romans 12:1
 ¹ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

We should be like the Spaffords and know that no matter what happens, we can say that "It is Well with My Soul" because God will never let us slip through His fingers.  I pray we are heavenly minded offering ourselves to God because of all He's done and for the love He will never relinquish.  I leave you with the words to hymn:

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Horatio Spafford