Saturday, March 7, 2026
IT IS WELL WITH MY SOU
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
— PHILIPPIANS 4:7
One of the most powerful hymns ever written is the hymn It Is Well with My Soul, written by Horatio Spafford.
Spafford was a successful lawyer and devoted Christian. In 1871, he suffered heavy financial loss in the Great Chicago Fire. Yet an even greater tragedy came two years later. He sent his wife and four daughters ahead of him on a ship to Europe. During the voyage, the ship collided with another vessel in the Atlantic Ocean and sank. All four of his daughters died.
His wife survived and sent him a heartbreaking telegram: “Saved alone.”
As Spafford traveled across the ocean to meet his grieving wife, the captain pointed to the spot where the ship had sunk. Standing over the waters where his daughters had perished, Spafford penned the words.
“When sorrows like sea billows roll… it is well, it is well with my soul.”
This testimony reflects the kind of faith we should posses. God did not promise a life without storms, but promises His presence in them. “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee” — Isaiah 43:2. Even in overwhelming loss, God can give supernatural peace. Like the confidence of Job, who declared, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” — Job 13:15. True faith is not proven in easy seasons but in painful ones, even in grief, we can still declare: It is well with my soul.
Spafford was a successful lawyer and devoted Christian. In 1871, he suffered heavy financial loss in the Great Chicago Fire. Yet an even greater tragedy came two years later. He sent his wife and four daughters ahead of him on a ship to Europe. During the voyage, the ship collided with another vessel in the Atlantic Ocean and sank. All four of his daughters died.
His wife survived and sent him a heartbreaking telegram: “Saved alone.”
As Spafford traveled across the ocean to meet his grieving wife, the captain pointed to the spot where the ship had sunk. Standing over the waters where his daughters had perished, Spafford penned the words.
“When sorrows like sea billows roll… it is well, it is well with my soul.”
This testimony reflects the kind of faith we should posses. God did not promise a life without storms, but promises His presence in them. “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee” — Isaiah 43:2. Even in overwhelming loss, God can give supernatural peace. Like the confidence of Job, who declared, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” — Job 13:15. True faith is not proven in easy seasons but in painful ones, even in grief, we can still declare: It is well with my soul.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your peace in every season. When sorrows rise like waves, help me trust You and rest in Your unfailing love. Let my heart always declare that it is well with my soul. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.