Horatio G. Spafford wrote the timeless Christian Hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul.” The background behind him writing that song is a very tragic story. He was a wealthy lawyer in Chicago in the late 1800s. He invested heavily in real estate along Lake Michigan. He and his wife, Anna had five children. In 1870 their only son died of scarlet fever at the age of four. While still grieving the loss of their son, the great Chicago fire happened in 1871, destroying much of the properties that he owned.
Two years later he decided that the family should go on a vacation to England. They would join D. L. Moody on his evangelistic crusade while they were there. Shortly before the time for them to leave some important business matters came up that Horatio had to attend to. The decision was made to send the family on before him and he would join them in England as soon as possible.
While his family was sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, the ship they were on was struck by another sailing vessel and their ship sank. Only Anna survived the accident, their four daughters were lost. When the news came to Horatio, he immediately boarded the next available ship to England to be with his grieving wife. The captain of the ship that Mr. Spafford was on called him to the bridge and told him that they were sailing past the spot where the ship his family was on sank.
As Horatio stared into the dark blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, his gaze turned toward heaven and he penned the words of that great hymn.
When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot thou’ has taught me to say
It is well it is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
My sin oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o’ my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend
Even so it is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is hard to imagine the thoughts that were going through the mind of this man that loved the Lord, yet suffered great tragedy in his life. However, we see that he did not blame the Lord, but looked to him for grace and comfort through his heartache.
Many times when deep trials and pain come into our life we turn from the Lord. We can’t understand why we have to go through the dark waters. If we are wise, our gaze will turn heavenward and we will allow the Lord to minister His grace to us. The Lord can use our pain to minister to others for years to come if we would allow Him to. Horatio Spafford died in 1888, for the last century Christians have found peace and encouragement from the song he wrote through a veil of tears. The Lord can use our trials to influence many people that we come in contact with today and in the future. May the Lord teach us to say, “It Is Well With My Soul.”
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