A couple of days ago, Sidharth posted a video of one of my favorite hymns. I wanted to follow this up with posting another touching video and the story behind the powerful work.

Horatio Gates Spafford was an English man that practiced law in Chicago, Illinois.

In 1871, lightening from a severe thunderstorm sparked a massive fire that devastated the city of Chicago. Over five hundred buildings and homes were destroyed. 300 suffered death from the tragedy, including Horatio’s one and only son.

Horatio was devastated. For weeks, his depression prevented him from functioning. He eventually realized that staying in this state helped no one. From that point forward, he committed his free time to help others impacted by the fire.

He worked tirelessly for two years, until his wife was finally able to convince to take a vacation. The family decided to travel back to England where they could visit family and old church friends.

As the day of the family’s vacation approached, something came up at the law office. Horatio told his wife and four daughters to go ahead to England, and he would take another ship and would catch up with them after he the case was over.

Linda Spafford and her children never reached England’s shores. 85 miles off Greenland’s coast, their ship collided with a British cargo ship. The ship was severely damaged and within 20 minutes the wooden ship sank. There were few survivors in the icy cold waters, but Linda was one of the fortunate few to find a floating piece of wreckage and survive long enough for a rescue ship to arrive.

Meanwhile back in Chicago, Horatio quickly finished his business and set off to board the first ship available. He got to England and did not find Linda or his children at his mother’s house. The worried father and husband searched everywhere. He stayed at the house of his good friend Dwight Moody, where he waited for his family.

Linda’s rescue ship took over a week to get back on land. From Canada, Linda telegrammed her husband with a brief telegram that said, “Saved alone.”

Moody embraced his grieving friend. With streams of tears rolling from his cheeks, Horatio said, “It is well,” he paused for a moment unable to form speech. “God’s will be done.” Horatio once again took the first available ship, this time to America.

On the way back home, the heartbroken Christian wrote a hymn of his assurance of God. Legend has it that the song was written above the very waters where his four daughters drowned. For the last century, the song “It is Well with My Soul” has touched millions.

It reads:

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.
Though Satan should buffet, tho’ trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed his own blood for my soul.
My sin–oh, the bliss of this glorious tho’t;
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 the 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, it is well, with my soul.

Our life should always be in a state of comfort; our soul should always be at rest; and we should always find peace in God. Nothing but the love of God can make you feel this way.

We may or may not have tragedies like this come into your life, but troubles are sure to come our way. We can take life’s troubles two ways. 1) We can let our troubles control our inner self - causing grief, stress, and emotional discontent. 2) Or we can look at our troubles and say, “May God’s will be done” and live life with a positive attitude.

We cannot let scars from the past influence how we live. All of us are going to face times of hardship and depression, but dwelling on our failures and problems has never helped anyone. Instead of looking back on the pains of the past, we must look to God and the joys of the future.

Whether our emotions are sad, angry, depressed, anxious, stressed, relaxed, uneasy, or excited – our soul should be well with God. No matter what happens, no matter what we lose – we never lose God, and we never lose the peace that comes from loving Him.

Psalm 23:3a He restores my soul.

Psalm 42:2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Psalm 143:5,6 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.