“It Is Well With My Soul!”

Romans 8:28

Horatio Spafford was a prominent, successful business man in Chicago, IL, in the middle 1800’s. He had enjoyed great success. He was wealthy, well-known and influential. Overnight he lost almost everything. The great Chicago fire left him in near financial ruin.

He decided to relocate his family. At two o’clock in the morning, November 22, 1873, he loaded his wife and four daughters onto a French luxury liner, (the largest and most luxurious in the world), and kissed them good-bye, promising to meet them in France in a few weeks, as soon as he could settle his business affairs.

Several days out of port, that luxurious ship, sailing peacefully toward France, was rammed by an English ship. It took the largest, best, most luxurious ship in the world just two hours to sink to the ocean floor!

Two hundred and twenty-six people died on that ship, including all four of the Spafford daughters. Nine days latter, when the survivors landed safely at Cardiff, Wales, Spafford received a short wire from his wife. It contained just two words - “Saved alone.”

As soon as possible, he booked passage on a ship to Europe to join his wife. On the way over, the Captain called Spafford to the bridge of the ship. He said, “According to my calculations, we are now passing over the place where your children drowned.” Spafford thanked the Captain, went back to his cabin, and wrote these lines…

“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.’”

This man who had lost his business, his home, and his children, said to a friend, “I am glad I can trust the Lord when it costs me something.” When he and his wife finally met and embraced one another, she said, “We have not lost our children. We are only separated for a little while.”

How could that man and his wife bear such trials, such losses, such heartaches, with such composure? Only one answer can be given. Horatio Spafford and his wife believed God. They were convinced in their hearts of that which is recorded in Romans 8:28. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

The knowledge and understanding of God’s providence is the comfort and strength of believing hearts in the midst of their trials and temptations in this world. Blessed of God and happy, truly happy, are those people in this vale of tears who know and trust our God, the God of all providence!

Don Fortner