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 (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul
It is well (it is well)With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
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!
It is well (it is well)With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
“When peace like a river attendeth my way…”
Horatio Spafford was a man acquainted with both success and sorrow. A respected lawyer and devoted believer, his life was shattered when financial ruin struck, followed by the unimaginable loss of his four daughters in a shipwreck crossing the Atlantic. Only his wife survived, sending him the now-famous telegram: “Saved alone.”
As Spafford traveled to meet her, the ship passed near the place where his daughters had drowned. There, standing over the deep waters that had taken so much from him, he did not curse God—he worshiped. Out of the depths of grief came words that still echo through generations: “It is well… with my soul.”
This was not denial. It was defiant faith. A declaration that even when circumstances collapse, God remains steady. Spafford teaches us that peace is not found in the absence of sorrow—but in the presence of God within it.
Scripture: Philippians 4:7 — “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Ask yourself:
- What does it mean to say “it is well” when life is not well?
- Where have you had to choose peace instead of understanding?
- What would trusting God in your current situation look like?
It Is Well with My Soul (Peace in Suffering)