It is Well

It is Well with my Soul is my favorite song of all time and I love the story of the old hymn just as much as the song itself. Last week's CBS lesson was a reminder that I can have peace whatever my lot.

Horatio Spafford was a Chicago lawyer who endured incredible personal tragedy, yet trusted fiercely in God that all would be well. The story goes something like this:

In 1870, Mr. Spafford's only son died of scarlet fever. Then, in the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, he lost all of his real estate holdings. A couple of years later, Horatio and Anna Spafford decided to take the family to Britain to help D.L. Moody on an evangelistic campaign. Mr. Moody needed the help and the Spaffords needed to get away. At the last minute, Mr. Spafford was detained on business, but Anna and the girls headed for Europe as planned aboard a French steamer in November 1873. The plan was for Horatio to join them a little later. Sadly, their ship collided with another in the Atlantic Ocean and nine days later, Mr. Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales that read, "Saved alone." All four of their daughters were among the 226 that drowned when the ship sank in just twelve minutes. Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship bound for Europe to be with his grieving wife. As his ship passed over the place where his daughters had died, Horatio Spafford penned the words to this timeless 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.


Refrain:It is well, with my soul,
It is well, 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!


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.

My favorite remake is by Audio Adrenaline and Jennifer Knapp. There's not a great video that I can find, but you can listen to it here.