IS IT WELL WITH YOUR SOUL?
Horatio Spafford was a successful attorney and real estate investor who lost a fortune in the great Chicago fire of 1871. Around the same time, his beloved four-year-old son died of scarlet fever.
Thinking a vacation would do his family some good, he sent his wife and four daughters on a ship to England, planning to join them after he finished some pressing business at home. However, while crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the ship was involved in a terrible collision and sunk. More than 200 people lost their lives, including all four of Horatio Spafford’s precious daughters. His wife, Anna, survived the tragedy. Upon arriving in England, she sent a telegram to her husband that began: “Saved alone. What shall I do?”
Horatio immediately set sail for England. At one point during his voyage, the captain of the ship, aware of the tragedy that had struck the Spafford family, summoned Horatio to tell him that they were now passing over the spot where the shipwreck had occurred.
As Horatio thought about his daughters, words of comfort and hope filled his heart. He wrote them down, and they have since become a well-beloved hymn:
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.
Church family, the truth of the matter is that it may not feel well with your soul at this moment in life. You may feel so overwhelmed with the “flaming arrows of the evil on” (Ephesians 6:16) that the lyrics of this song may not resonate with you.
I want to encourage you with Jesus' words in John 16:33 - “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
Sometimes, when attempting to accomplish something difficult, it helps to know that the accomplishment has actually been done before. Every believer can carry the hope-filled truth with them that Jesus Christ came to Earth, took on flesh and blood, and navigated every temptation, challenge, and disappointment that we have, and He conquered them all. The even better news is that we are not called to follow Jesus as our example, we are called to be filled with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, so that He can continue to conquer our trials through us. We are not attempting to obtain victory over our suffering, Jesus has already done that. Our victory is in surrendering to His!
May you experience the infilling of the conquering Jesus every day. As you do, you will genuinely be able to say, “It is well, it is well, with my soul!”
Be blessed, church family, and know that God is for you, God is with you, and God loves you!
Pastor Chris
