It is Well with My Soul

I traveled to my hometown after a friend’s son was killed in a tragic accident. Throughout that time, I couldn’t stop thinking about one of my favorite hymns, written in the aftermath of heartbreak.

After a period of great difficulty and tragedy, in which he lost much of his personal and business assets to a fire, Horatio Spafford decided that his family needed a vacation. Although he wanted to join his family on their trip to England and then on to Europe, some business interests arose that kept him at home. Horatio’s business would only delay him a few days, so he told his family to go ahead without him. He would catch up with them as soon as possible.

In 1873, while crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the Ville du Havre, the ship carrying Horatio’s family, was involved in a tragic collision with another vessel. Two hundred people lost their lives, including Horatio’s four daughters. Upon arriving in England, his wife Anna telegrammed her husband: “Saved alone. What shall I do?”

As the story is often told, Horatio set sail for England and, as he approached the site of the accident, was summoned from his cabin to the bridge. There, he learned that his ship was now sailing above the watery grave of his family. He refused to look down but instead looked up to the heavens.

In a poem titled “When Peace, Like a River, Attendeth My Way,” Horatio reflected on his thoughts and feelings during his crisis.

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.”

The hymn, eventually titled “It Is Well With My Soul,” was first published in 1876. Philip Bliss composed a tune for the text, which he titled “Ville du Havre” after the ship that sank with Horatio Spafford’s family on board.

This hymn has comforted me in times of trial and difficulty. Although the words are uplifting, it’s not easy for me to say, “It is well with my soul.” And I’m not sure it is always appropriate to tell a person in despair that they should think this way. It’s better to stand by them and support them in their anguish.

I do not believe that the words, joy, and happiness are necessarily synonyms. Happiness seems to me to be circumstantial and, like the cliché’, is fleeting. Its opposite, sadness, is similar. But, by themselves, they conflict; happiness does not exist once sadness takes hold and vice versa.

In my opinion, like the yin and yang of eastern philosophy, happiness and sadness are linked. That linkage is what we experience as joy. Joy encompasses all of our emotions and stands above them. It is a settled state of contentment, confidence, and hope that arises when we feel connected to others and something larger than ourselves.

I do not have the power to relieve my friend of his sadness. This was apparent as I met him at the hospital and spent time with him and his family over the days before his son’s funeral. But at the funeral, something else arose. It was not in place of the sadness, which is ever present, but it rose above it. This feeling came as my friend’s brothers (my friend’s son’s uncles) spoke and shared experiences. As they did, joy filled the hearts of those in attendance.

And along with this Joy came comfort.

I have found that most of my words, even at their best, cannot provide comfort when someone experiences a loss. And I find many people with good intentions often miss the mark with their words. But this is reflective of our mortal understanding of the eternal.

I am not a fan of the idea the God “calls us home.” Mostly because, at least in my opinion, this idea is often misunderstood. The misunderstanding makes God seem like one of the Greek gods of mythology, playing games and pushing and pulling his pawns here on earth as if he was playing chess with our lives.

We know this mortal life is filled with happiness, sadness, pain, joy, triumph, and tragedy. That IS this life, and God’s foreknowledge of how and when our lives begin and end does not mean he grabs us “for a better work.” Yet, once we leave this life, I am positive there are wonderful opportunities ahead.

In a conference with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson taught:

“the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.”

-Russell M. Nelson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

In the final volume of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. The hobbit Pippen and Gandalf the wizard face the enemy’s army nearing their position. Everything looks dire, and Pippen turns to his wise friend for comfort:

“I didn’t think it would end this way,” Pippen tells the wizard.

To which Gandalf says,

“End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.”

“What? Gandalf? See what?”

“White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.” (Return of the King, JRR Tolkien)

So, though our Heavenly Father does not play chess with our lives, he knows when we will transition from this world’s opportunities to the next. So, when He “calls us home,” it is not him working his will to upend our lives; God knows and understands what is to come and where the path leads.

God strengthens us and comforts us in our trials. He helps us see and realize the opportunity in tragedy and caution in success. His whole purpose is to make us better people who can eventually return to him. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is about fixing the broken parts of our lives through understanding Him, who He is, and what He did for us.

I find it instructive to read about Jesus’ reaction to the death of his friend Lazarus.

John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the Bible and reads, “Jesus wept.” It is a profound statement of simplicity because Jesus wept with grief when he saw the mourners gathered around Lazarus’s tomb and spoke with Martha and Mary. Yet, he knew that he would raise their brother from the dead in a few brief minutes, causing all this weeping to turn to astonished happiness, tearful laughter, and devotion.

Again, Christ’s foreknowledge was not a barrier to His compassion. He knows that it is not always a simple matter to say, “It is well with my soul,” just as it was not a simple matter for Him to say:

“Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

-Luke 22:42

I wish there were something I could do for my friend more than offer my arms in comfort and my hand in service. But anything I can do is just salve the wound.

“Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”

-Rick Warren

Only Christ, through His everlasting atonement, can provide the needed healing for my friend and his family. Only then can they begin to say, “It is well.”

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

let this blest assurance control:

that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

and has shed his own blood for my soul.

One of Horatio Spafford’s early versions of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul” includes a verse that doesn’t appear in the final version. Indeed, the omitted stanza is beautiful, and it’s a shame that it didn’t make it into popular use:

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

In the New Testament, Christ explains to His disciples that they could expect adversity and tribulation. After explaining what kind of trials they may face, he says:

“see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”

-Matthew 24:6

The Savior promised He would be with us, but we must continually look to Him for guidance. He fulfills His promise by sending His Spirit to help us remember, stand fast, and find peace.

To lepers who sought healing, Christ said:

“Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.”

-Luke 17:14

Michele D. Craig, First Counselor in the General Relief Society Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, discussed this passage from the scriptures when she taught:

“They went to show themselves to the priests as if they had already been healed, and in the process of acting, they were. I also want to say if the thought of taking action amid your pain feels impossible, please let your action be to reach out for help — to a friend, a family member, a Church leader, a professional. This can be a first step to hope.”

-Michelle D. Craig

Our lives can be filled with Joy through the love of family and friends, the atonement of Jesus Christ, and the peace he offers.The Joy that transcends our sorrow and our happiness.

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.