It is Well With My Soul   

You’ve probably heard the story of Horatio Gates Spafford. He was a successful young attorney in Chicago, Illinois and the father of four lovely daughters. He was a deeply spiritual man, and a devoted student of the Scriptures. Life was good for Horatio Spafford and his family… until tragedy struck… twice!

First was the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. In that fire, Spafford lost almost all of the family’s real estate investments. Just like that, so much of what he had worked so hard for was gone. But that was nothing compared to what he would lose just two short years later.

His family was still trying to recover, not only financially, but also emotionally, from all they had gone through and all they had lost in the fire. So Mr. Spafford decided he’d try to lift their spirits by taking them on a vacation to Europe. Before they went, they decided to attend an evangelistic crusade there in Chicago led by his good friend and well-known preacher of that time, D. L. Moody. It is reported that, at that meeting, all four of his daughters responded to the invitation and professed Christ as their Savior.

In November of 1873, at the time of the family’s scheduled departure, Horatio was detained unexpectedly by some urgent business matters, but he sent his wife and four daughters on as planned, promising to join them shortly in Europe. Halfway across the Atlantic Ocean, the ship was struck by an English vessel and sank in just twelve minutes. All four of the Spafford daughters—Tanetta, Maggie, Annie, and Bessie—were among the 226 passengers who drowned.

Mrs. Spafford was one of the few who were miraculously rescued. Back home, as Horatio was busily packing, there was a knock at the door, and he was handed a cable which read simply: “Saved alone. Your wife.” Spafford then got on a ship that would carry him to rejoin his wife in Wales. Along the way the ship passed the area where his precious daughters had drowned. It was at that moment that Spafford’s grief found relief in comfort given him by God. Out of that comfort came words to a hymn that is now very special and very well-known: “When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well, with my soul.’”

Can you too say with Horatio Spafford, “It is well, it is well with my soul?” The good news is, no matter what may be our circumstances, we have the ability to choose an attitude of joy that comes from depending on God’s help and strength.