When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot You have taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul
Though the devil will ruin, though trials may come
Let this blessed assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And He shed His own blood for my soul
It is well, with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul
It is well, with my soul
It is well, it is well with 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, oh my soul
And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight
And 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
Jars of Clay
Original writers: Horatio Spafford, Phillip Bliss
This version: Chris Rice, Stephen Mason, Matt Odmark, Jim Cooper, Dan Haseltine, Travis Cottrell, James Brickman, Charlie Lowell
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Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
Psalm 116:7
I can say that this is one of those hymns that the Holy Spirit brings to mind on many occasions and especially on the really hard days. The Lord speaks to us through music, I know for sure. Some days (even before the first cup of coffee) are already setting me up for failure. I think in my head that there are words that I shouldn’t have said yesterday and I went to bed without an “I’m sorry”…and there will be words today that I will wish I could take back. There are cluttered cabinets that need to be cleaned out, kind of like the cluttered mind that needs to hear Jesus. I am a frustrated perfectionist and I often compare my lack to others’ abundance. But the Holy Spirit whispers early…in the form of a hymn…’it is well with my soul‘. And it is….
In the 1800’s, a man named Horatio Spafford had lived through what he thought were the hardest trials of his life—his only son died and, shortly after, a horrible fire consumed all he had materially. He recovered only to hit bottom two years later. He put his wife and four daughters on a ship to England and he was to meet them soon. Not long after they took off, the ship ran into another ship and the children sunk to the bottom of the ocean. He received a telegram four days after from his wife that said, “Saved alone.” He got on a ship to meet her and, as he went over the location where his daughters had drowned, these words came to his mind: “When sorrows like sea billows roll…” and there was birthed one of the greatest hymns of all times.
Yes, he lost his children (something I cannot even imagine). But in all that tragedy, his God was enough. The fact that Jesus loved him was all he needed to make it through. He knew that Jesus was coming again to take him and his wife to meet his girls. So here on earth, he would choose to live his days in praise.
What about you today? Are you experiencing loss? It may not be as severe as the loss of a child (or four children) but it may hurt still. I pray today that you and I are able to look at all the chaos around us and still have peace and be able to say without hesitation that “It is well with my soul.”
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Let us pray: Dear Lord, You are awesome and mighty, You bring me to my knees in worship and praise! You are Holy and You are worthy of all that we are and all that we have and we love You. Thank You for the peace that comes from just knowing You and knowing that Jesus took away all our sins so that we are looked at as pure in Your eyes. Oh Lord, I pray for all the broken hearts today. I pray that You can mend them and put a new song in each one; one that says “It is well with my soul”…no matter what. Your love is enough. In Jesus’ name, amen.
