It is well

I love that hymn! It is the most amazing hymn with the most profound meaning in it. It is well with my soul...no matter what happens, no matter how big of a storm may come, no matter whether I'm broke or I'm broken...it is well with my soul. Come what may...it is well with my soul. You may think, 'I wish it was so easy to say that', but do you know who wrote that song and when did that writer write that song?

It was written by Horatio Gates Spafford. He was a well-known Chicago lawyer in the 1860s. In 1870, his one and only son died of scarlet fever at the age of four. In 1871, in the "Great Chicago Fire", he lost everything that he had invested in the real estate.

After two years later, Spafford and his family decided to go on a vacation. They were going to go to England to meet his close friend, D.L. Moody on his evangelistic crusades. Horatio and Anna, his wife, and their children went to New York from where they were to go on the 'Ville de Havre' across the Atlantic. However, a last minute business development kept Horatio from joining them. Since he didn't wanted to ruin the trip, he urged his wife and four daughters to go ahead and he'll meet up with them later.

However, the ship never reached the destination. It had collided with an English ship, the Loch Earn, and sank within minutes. Anna, along with 47 other passengers, survived; however, 226 lives including Anna's four daughters, Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie, were killed.

Horatio received a horrible telegram from his wife stating, "saved alone". Horatio boarded the next ship to be with his grieving wife. During that voyage, the captain of the ship called him to the bridge and told him that was the location where the Ville de Havre was wrecked. That is when Horatio penned the lyrics of this great hymn called "It is well with my soul".

It is often difficult, but it is vital, to trust in God. He knows our past, present, and future. He has seen the whole puzzle, whereas, we are only seeing one piece at a time. Often we do not understand why certain things happen the way they do, but He knows best. Trust in the Lord. The wisest man ever lived said, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." He will never fail you nor disappoint you. Humans will let you down, but God never will. Your family and friends might let you down, but Jesus will be at your side at all times.