It is well with my soul...

I’m just human. There are times when I have difficult days. You know the kind - when you just want to say “what’s the use? Just WHAT is the point?” You know what I mean? You ever have a day like that?

One particular time that this happened, that night I had to go to a Knox County honors band concert that our younger son was in, and I didn’t want to go. I just wasn’t in the mood to go. But, I hadn’t missed one of his concerts, and so I went.

On the program, one of the songs listed was “Unknown Hymn”. That didn’t mean anything to me, but when they started playing this song, my eyes flooded with tears.

When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

I left there saying, “Lord, it is, well with my soul, but it still hurts” and I heard in my spirit, “just because it is well with my soul doesn’t mean that it doesn’t still hurt. It just means that I know God is in control.”

The Psalmist said
If I ascend up into heaven, you are there:
if I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there shall your hand lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

And Paul said

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And so through my tears I declare, “It is well, it is well, with my soul…”

Just recently I attended the funeral of the father of a friend of mine. It took place at a small country church where you could feel the love, and you just knew that decorum and ritual always took a backseat to caring and humility.

There was a delicious meal prepared by the ladies of the church, and there were smiles, and stories, along with the tears.

During the service, the Preacher announced that we were going to sing a congregational song and that this song was the favorite of this man who had obviously become his close friend.

I was making it pretty well until I heard the first strains of this song - and I again dissolved into tears. It brought back to my remembrance the comfort and peace that I feel in my Father’s arms. And no matter how much it hurts - it is well with my soul…

Can you say, “It is well with my soul?” If you can’t, you need to come to Him.

I know we have a difficult road ahead of us, but "It is well, with my soul..."

Betty Newman