It Is Well

My favorite hymn has to be When Peace Like a River. Not only for the beautiful harmony, melody, and poetic lyrics, but more significantly for the testimony behind this piece of artwork. 

Horatio Spafford, the heart behind the hymn, was a wealthy lawyer from Chicago. He and his wife had 4 daughters and 1 son. At the peak of his wealth and career, their family experienced the tragic and sudden loss of their son. Soon after, the Chicago fires destroyed almost every real estate investment he had. Spafford was a devout believer his entire life, and made the decision for his family to take a vacation and join an evangelistic campaign in England. Last minute business kept Spafford in the States, while his wife and 4 daughters left for Europe with plans to meet each other in England. A couple days later, Spafford got news that there was an accident with the boat and his 4 daughters drowned. His wife survived. As he traveled to England to comfort and grieve with his wife, he wrote the hymn When Peace Like a River. 

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.

Through all the sorrows and hardships life will throw, His peace attends. He is there through it all - offering His peace to guide and comfort us through the times that seem unjust, unbearable, and almost impossible. His peace is continually flowing into the lives of His children. Praise God that we live abundantly in His perfect peace. Along with the peace that He freely and continually offers to His children, the Spirit continues to remind and teach us about the love that we live by and for. We live with a Spirit that is always pointing us back to the cross. How remarkable it is to live with the constant remembrance and teaching of our redemption - especially "when sorrows like sea billows roll."

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Being a child of God does not exclude hardships and sorrow. Our faith does not exist to make life perfect. Our faith does not exist to make us happy. It is who we have faith in that makes us righteous and offers happiness. We live for a God who deeply loves His children. You live for a God who personally knows, loves, and redeems you. You live for a God who shed His own blood for your soul. No matter the pain we experience on earth, we are able to live in the assurance and comfort of a personal and loving God.   

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!

We are born into sin. Our entire existence, being, and living reeks of sin. Sin is a consuming, never tired, powerful force that gulps down any glimpse of goodness that may exist. But every single aspect of our existence, being, and living is completely and eternally clean of sin by way of the cross. Through His blood, we are called as righteous and holy. No amount or degree of sin can overcome the glorious victory God won for us on the cross. Live freely in His victory. Live freely in your salvation.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

We are a people that live for a different place. We live out our days here on earth with great anticipation and faith for the coming of our Lord. Our perspective is not shaped by time, but rather by heaven. Our hope is in Him. We rest with that hope because we are only able to truly rest in Him. 

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.

Come Lord Jesus, come. Bring heaven to earth. When earth only brings what it can bring: pain, war, sorrow, and injustice may the children of God live in the reality of His heavenly glory. Death no longer delivers pain and darkness - it delivers nothing. Because death is no longer. May we live under the promise and glory of heaven. 

Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

As long as your living on earth, there is no doubt that you will experience pain. However, as believers, we are taught and reminded by the Spirit that it is well. God gracefully and mercifully allows us to live under the freedom of His victory over death. Earthly grievances hold no power over us! For Christ conquered death and has won us over. No matter the pain or circumstance, we have been given the gift to sing, "It is well with my soul." Praise God for giving us the freedom to live in that refrain.