Is It Well With Your Soul?

"It is well, it is well with my soul." So goes the hymn...but I don't know...in case you haven't noticed, our world has gone into somewhat of a tailspin. Not only has our normal day to day schedule become anything BUT normal, now we are finding ourselves in what seems to be times of total and intense social unrest. Can you honestly say as you have laid your head down to sleep these past nights, weeks, even months, that all is well with your soul?

It was 1873 when Horatio Spafford penned the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul." Mr. Spafford was a devout Christian man. He enjoyed much success as a prominent Chicago lawyer. In addition to that, he owned several properties throughout the city. He and his wife had a beautiful family of four daughters and a son. No wonder he could boast "It is well with my soul." However, it was a series of traumatic events, not all of his success and wealth, that inspired the beloved hymn.

First came the tragic death of their son. Soon after that, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed nearly every real estate investment that Mr. Spafford owned. An additional economic downturn in 1873 continued to hit his business interests. It was at this time that Mr. Spafford wanted to treat his family to a European get-away. Last minute business plans caused Mr. Spafford to be delayed in Chicago while his family journeyed on ahead. Not long into their voyage, the ship was struck by another ship and sank almost immediately. All four daughters died in the wreckage. Mr. Spafford received a message from his wife that simply stated "Saved alone."

Spafford left Chicago to meet up with his wife. It was while the ship was traveling over the area where his daughters had perished that he wrote the beautiful words of "It Is Well With My Soul."

We've been experiencing some pretty chaotic and unsettled conditions during the past couple months. It will be a while before life returns to what we knew before the COVID-19 pandemic, if ever. Our peace has been tested. Maybe a loved one passed away without being able to say a proper good-bye. Maybe a job or a business or your home has been lost. Maybe you don't have a clue what your future now has in store. Any of these can certainly be considered overwhelming, maybe even tragic.

Remember Horatio Spafford? He and his family were supposed to be on a trip to forget about life for awhile. Forget the sadness of losing their only son and brother. Forget the financial losses during the previous years. Yet it was this very trip that was meant to bring about some much needed relief and happiness that brought about even more tragedy. I can't even begin to imagine the immense sorrow. Yet it was at this very time that Mr. Spafford made the personal declaration that no matter what his lot, good or bad, peace or sorrow, fortune or poverty, he was going to dwell on Christ's sacrifice on the cross and profess that all is well with his soul.

Friend, I do not know what you may be going through these days, but there is someone who does. His name is Jesus. He died on the cross for you and, no matter what condition you are in, is so badly wanting you to know that He's available to soothe your cares and your hurts. He wants you to know, just like Horatio Spafford proclaimed so many years ago in the depths of his sorrows, that there is so much more to life than our circumstances. May you become fully aware that you are loved and your victory has been won through the cross. Nothing compares to that fact. With this in mind, my prayer for you is that you can boldly say, "It is well with my soul!"