Let's start with Horatio Gates Spafford
Have you heard of Mr. Spafford? Maybe not, but if you’ve listened to very many hymns, you have probably heard “It Is Well With My Soul.” As much as I love it, this song is hard for me to listen to because it was sung at my father’s funeral. As it happens, the lyricist was hurting when he penned the verses.
According to the story told by Bethel Church Ripon, Spafford was a Chicago property owner, wealthy in material goods, faith, and family. He and his wife were active in the community and their church, always trying to do the right thing, to live lives of integrity. Life was good until it wasn’t. Spafford lost his only son* to scarlet fever at the age of four, then suffered heavy financial losses in the Chicago fire of 1871. Nonetheless, they did what they could to assist those who had lost their homes and loved ones.
A few years later Mr. Spafford decided to take his family to England*, timed to coincide with a preaching tour by the family’s good friend, Dwight L. Moody. That’s where the story went south, as they say. Well, further south.
*Note that some variations to this story exist, as reflected in the video below.
- 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.- Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
- Refrain:
- Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for 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! - 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. - But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul! - 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.
Tragedy at sea
Spafford felt obligated by business concerns to remain in America beyond the family’s planned departure date, but his wife (Anna) and four daughters boarded the Ville du Havre as scheduled. It was the last time he saw his daughters, as they perished when the vessel sank after being struck by another ship. His wife was found floating on the wreckage and later telegraphed him from Wales with two words, “Saved alone.”
The grieving husband sailed as soon as possible to join his wife. On that voyage, the Captain pointed out to him the exact spot where the Ville du Havre had sunk. As the story goes, he returned to his cabin and began working on the hymn we know so well. It begins, “When peace like a river, attendeth my way…” and culminates in the refrain, “It is well, it is well with my soul.” In the face of horrendous loss, Spafford leaned into his faith to find comfort. While there is some question about the actual date the lyrics were completed, it is clear the author’s belief was not shaken.
Beauty for ashes
Back in Wales, as Anna began recovering from her ordeal, she was overheard questioning why she survived. She decided God must have a purpose for her life. Any of us would understand if she had been an inconsolable wreck, but instead, she was proactive in determining her perspective.
The couple returned to New York and eventually had more children – three. One was a son and, sadly, he also died at age four. The next year, the family joined a group of Christians in their move to Jerusalem to serve the poor and needy and to take in homeless children. They lived and worked in the area until their respective deaths.
How does beauty for ashes apply to me?
Obviously, I can’t answer that question for you, but I can shed some light on the scripture, and I can also share a comment I found in Bible Study Tools written by Ashley Hooker. The scripture first.
The ashes represent grief and the beauty refers to a beautiful headdress that will replace the ashes. But the gist of Isaiah 61:3 is that God can comfort the grieving and create something positive out of the experience. The Spaffords found their peace through their faith and their efforts to relieve the suffering of others.
And Ashley’s perspective? “Our sorrows can leave us feeling defeated. When we fully give ourselves over to God, our view of the trouble and sorrow of life changes. The circumstances may remain the same, but we change the glass we look through.”
Our experiences impact our responses to crises, but should they have the last word (words??) in our decisions? Most of us won’t suffer the level of loss experienced by the Spaffords, but we will all encounter disappointments, perhaps even great sadness. Whether or not you are a person of faith, perhaps we can agree that the example set by Anna and Horatio is worthy of consideration, if not duplication.
“It is well with my soul” is a favorite as is that story. A great reminder as we face the advent season and consider God’s greatest gift.
I suspect there are many creative people whose efforts are inspired by emotional events, and I’m quite glad their works guide our focus.