WRITTEN BY MICHELE HANSEN
Life is full of the hard and tragic. As human beings, we all have experienced hardship in one form or another. I can honestly say at this point in my life, I have had hard and tragic, but it may not be the hard and tragic others have had. But we all know what it’s like to hurt.
The hymn “It is Well With My Soul” is arguably one of the most well-known in church. The person who wrote those words wasn’t just penning some poetic pros; his life was affected by the devastating reality of grief.
Horatio Spafford worked in Chicago in the 1800’s with a well know evangelist at the time named Dwight L. Moody and was heading over to England for some work with him. His plans changed and he sent his wife and four daughters ahead of him. On their voyage, their boat was sunk and the four daughters died. His wife survived.
That would have been a lot if it was the only tragedy in his life. He had also lost his business and property in the Chicago fire of 1871 before that, which set him on his course with Moody.
Sounds a lot like Job, doesn’t it?
Horatio was a believer. He knew the Lord wasn’t out to get him. He could have become horribly bitter and walked away from his faith. He didn’t. As he traveled across that same ocean to comfort his grieving wife, he penned these words when he came to the place where their ship went down.
When peace like a river, attends my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, You have taught me to know
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
You’re singing it in your head, aren’t you. Read these verses again. How do they impact your heart? Are you in a hard place right now? Is it well with your soul?
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And has shed His own blood for my soul.
What is Horatio’s focus in this verse?
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It reminds me of the prayers that are written in the Psalms…particularly the ones King David penned. David was raw and real, but he never lost sight of the Lord being his Rock and his Salvation.
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.
Here he quotes scripture. Philippians 1:21, “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” He seems pretty sure that no matter what, Christ is his peace.
But Lord, ’tis for You, for Your 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.
These last two verses aren’t generally sung in churches. I have never seen them sung in church, but they are filled with the hope and glory of the Lord.
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
A song in the night, oh my soul!
I have no idea why they changed the last verse of this original transcript, but I know that no matter how you read or sing it, the rawness of grief and the hope of glory ring out in amazing and startling ways. Our theme verse for the month is John 16:33-“…In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world…” we can not escape trouble. The Lord Himself is our anchor; our steady hand, our hope and joy, the One who sees us through. He was for Horatio Spafford and countless others through the years. He will be for us as well.
