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Is it well with me?
In all transparency, sometimes it is, and at other times, it’s not.
While contemplating this week’s reflection, I found myself humming the beloved hymn It Is Well With My Soul.
You probably know the story behind it. Horatio Spafford penned the poem after unimaginable loss: the sinking of the ship carrying his wife and four daughters. His wife alone survived.
And yet somehow, from the depths of grief, came the words:
“When sorrows like sea billows roll…”
Because wellness of the soul is not the same thing as a life untouched by sorrow, disappointment, hardship, or irritation. Life will contain all of these and more.
When the Soul Feels Unsettled
Sometimes my soul becomes unsettled over the smallest things: a difficult conversation, disappointment, fatigue, uncertainty, the weight of ordinary life.
And yet this hymn gently calls me back:
“Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say…”
Thou Hast Taught Me
What has the Lord taught me? What has He taught you?
Through His Word, He continues to speak.
Through His presence, He remains near.
His whispers of love, encouragement, and solace comfort my soul.
His grace remains sufficient for whatever I am walking through.
The Quiet Work of Grace
Wellness of the soul can only be realized through grace and grace alone.
As we pursue Him, desire Him, follow Him, and surrender ourselves more fully to Him, something within us begins to steady.
- A belief more grounded in truth.
- A faith that remains steadfast in a providential God.
- A trust that holds even when understanding does not come.
- A hope that does not disappoint.
- An eternal love that fills us.
Learning to Say, “It Is Well”
Perhaps this is why the hymn has endured for generations: not because life is always peaceful, but because God always remains faithful to us.
“When peace like a river attendeth my way…”
Sometimes peace flows freely. Other times, sorrows rise like waves. Still, grace continues its quiet work within the soul.
And perhaps being able to whisper—
even while trembling,
even though anxious,
and even through tears—
“It is well with my soul.”
is itself a gift of grace.
