It Is Well With My Soul

This stanza acknowledges seasons of life and the reality of suffering. The Christian faith has never promised that our “lot” in life will only consist of tranquil, calm, trouble-free seasons. Jesus talked about the suffering trials of God's people as did Paul, Peter, James and others. In our pilgrim journey there are contrasts. The hymn contrasts peaceful rivers with raging ocean waves (sea billows). It is a given that we should be able to say during peaceful seasons, “It is well with my soul.” But, God's word also gives such perspective that can calm the soul even when life feels like swimming through a sea billow. There is consolation in Christ (Phil. 2:1); there is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3). The gospel does not promise to take away every trouble this side of heaven, but it does give us a foundation and perspective to be able to say, “In the big picture, all is well, because of Christ and what He has done for me. Though my world seems to crash around me, there are unshakable realities Christ has purchased for me that can never be lost.”

Yes, Satan loves to “buffet” God's saints. Paul spoke of such “beatings” in 2 Corinthians 12. It sometimes may seem like our great adversary has you on the bull's eye of His target. “This is so hard! When will it end? I am overwhelmed!” Job certainly felt this way in his experiences facing Satan's cruel blows. Spiritual warfare can be draining: denying the lusts of the flesh; fighting to overcome anxious thoughts with truth; struggling to forgive those who have wronged you. Trials do come! In all shapes and sizes. Unexpected and expected ones. Strange and confusing ones. But, the hymn writer exhorts himself in the middle of all this: “Let this blest assurance control...” He is talking to himself; he is purposefully speaking to speak the truth this own soul. This kind of “self-counsel” is found prominently in the Psalms. It is a model for us in the midst of the struggle.

In your pain, in your spiritual struggles, failures and discouragements you must remember this, believer: Christ has regarded your helpless estate and has shed His own blood for your soul! He has shown such love for you. He has valued you to the point of rescuing your soul at the cost of His own life. So, though Satan will antagonize you, he cannot have you! You belong to Christ. And in your weakness remember this, Christ regarded your helpless condition. He saw you when you had nothing good within you. He came to rescue you when you had no desire nor ability to rescue yourself from darkness and love of sin. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6).

So, in your struggle and weariness, sing “It is well with my soul because Jesus is stronger than my adversary. It is well with my soul because Jesus has shown mercy and compassion on me in my weakness.” And let me offer this counsel: keep speaking this truth to your soul! We do not always feel this consolation to the degree that we would like. Sometimes it feels, “Everything is terrible with my soul!” But, Proverbs 23:19 gives us this healthy wisdom, “Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.” Not “feel your way in the way” but “guide your heart in the way.”

Having considered the comforting assurance that Christ has shed His own blood for our souls, the thought progresses into what that sacrificial death has accomplished. In beautiful poetry, it is as if the author catches his breath in amazement at what Christ has done for him. Not some of our sins, nor most of our sins, or even the most embarrassing and shameful of our sins...but ALL of our sins (the whole!) have been nailed to the Cross. The reality is, even the most seemingly insignificant of our sins would be enough to separate us from God and consign us to everlasting torment. Think about the sheer magnitude of the sins that Christ paid for on the Cross! In a congregation of, say 50 redeemed souls singing this hymn, how many sins collectively are represented there? Think of just your sins. Start with  the fact that you have a sinful nature inherited from Adam. There are sins of omission (leaving off what you should have done) and sins of commission (sins that you have actively committed). Then there are sins of thought, word and motive. There are sins we all would have been willing to commit provided we had the time and opportunity. We could consider sins of youth, middle age and old age. No one, even seasoned and experienced saints, are free from sin until their souls are taken to glory. The volume of our sins against God is like standing at the foot of Mt. Everest and looking straight up.

No wonder the hymn writer caught his breath! And yes, it is a glorious thought! Meditate and rejoice on the following verses:

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:12).

“He will turn again, he will have compassion on us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing to His cross” (Col. 2:13-14).

“I bear it no more” means that those who, by God's grace have been brought to trust in Christ, can lay hold of the eternal reality that God no longer charges them with their guilt. God, in the sacrifice of Christ, has satisfied His justice against every sin and transgression that we ever have committed and ever will commit. This will help you in the middle of a sea billow. Why? Because God, in Christ, has solved your greatest problem: the guilt of your sins. He will help you endure through every lesser problem, even when that problem seems gigantic.

The appropriate response to all of this: “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.” Christ is worthy of such praise. What glorious sacrifice to be able to effectively remove and put away forever such a magnitude and load of guilt! Praise Him in peace, and praise Him in the storm!

True salvation not only takes our guilt away, but it also produces within us a love and desire for the One who has secured this blessing on our behalf. So, in consideration of what Christ has done for him, the hymn writer longs to see Him! This is the “blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). We inwardly groan for that day when the storms of life will finally come to an end. We crave for the time when our adversary will no longer “buffet” us and when our sinful flesh will be forever eradicated. We yearn for that day when the “faith shall be sight.” We will behold Him in His majesty and glory. “The trump shall resound...” reminds us of 1 Thessalonians 4 where Paul is comforting believers with the blessed truth of the resurrection.

Believer, in the big picture, “all is well” because you will see Jesus one day. Did you hear that? You will see Jesus one day! You will be “with the Lord” never again to be afflicted with trials and sin. The sea billows of this life all have an expiration date, but the glory of eternity with Christ will know no end!