How Many Christians Know the Story Behind the Great Hymn, It is Well with My Soul?

The story behind the great hymn “It is well with my Soul” demonstrates the power of grace in weakness. The author, Horatio G. Spafford was born in 1828. Mr. Spafford was a successful lawyer, wealthy, highly intelligent, and deeply spiritual. He was married and had four daughters. Although he lived in Chicago, most of his time was spent around the world supporting renowned evangelists. In 1871, the Chicago fire destroyed his real estate and landholdings. To ease some of the anxiety from the devastation, he sent his wife and four daughters on a European cruise liner headed for Great Britain. The ship was struck by another vessel causing their ship to sink and all four daughters drowned, only his wife survived the horrific ordeal.

Mr. Spafford left by ship to join his wife, and the story goes that as he passed the area where their daughters had drowned, he wrote these words to express his grief, “When sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot God has taught me to say, it is well, it is well, with my soul.” A few years later, the Almighty Sovereign God blessed the Spafford’s with two more daughters, and their dream of visiting the Holy Land became a reality. While there, they decided to live in Jerusalem and establish an American Colony which cared for the sick and destitute.

In the hour of trial, a spirit of wavering sometimes tries to grip our being. But as we hold to God’s unchanging hand, God’s peace fills us. Before long, we can sing with Mr. Spafford, “It is well with my soul.”

This Reflection is from my book available online at amazon.com: Living Water for the Thirsty Soul: 365 Stories of Hope Health & Healing