Is it well with my soul?

In a paper, I argued that “It is well with my soul” lacked a biblical foundation, and my point was not challenged. I know this song has emotional value, and I am not criticizing people who like this song, are comforted by it, or have memories.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐭, 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲: “𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥.”

When we face suffering and difficulties, does the Lord teach us to say: “It is well with my soul?” Or is this positive thinking? Telling one another, “I am okay!”?

𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧. In times of difficulties, when you feel the pain cut through your heart, Scripture does not teach you to pray to God: “Lord, it is well with my soul,” but allows you to cry with Job: “𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐞.” (Job 30: 16) And, yet, Job’s lips did not sin. (Job 1: 31)

You may join King David in his lament: “𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐝,” (Psalm 6:3) and, “𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥.” (Psalm 142:4)

When you feel God at a far distance, don’t tell yourself, “It is well with my soul,” but join the voiced of the sons of Korah: “𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐝.” (Psalm 42:2)

When your ongoing troubles make you frustrated and upset, having sleepless nights, God listens when you say: “𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝,” (Psalm 73:12) and “𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝.” (Psalm 77:2) He provided laments to express our emotion: “𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞.” (Lam 3:17)

The emotional pain of broken relationships can make the world dark in the middle of summer. Pray with Jesus: “My soul is very sorrowful!” (Matt 26:38) Echo Isaiah’s words: “𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮.” (Isaiah 26:9) Find hope and comfort in Jesus’ promise: “𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐬.” (Matt 11:29)

Psalm 42 wonders: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” to confess: “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Scripture’s language is different than: “…when sea billows roll, it is well with my soul.”

God may have taught us to be content (Philippians 4:11), to have peace (Romans 5:1-2), He commands us to rejoice (Phil 4:4) and to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:16-18), but it seems these things are different than the state of our soul. Yes, at his time God will make it well with my soul, restoring peace, wiping every tear away!! (Revelation 21:1-4) But in the meantime we may walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

When we sing, it is crucial to sing God’s truth, especially if we want to worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24) Yes, I sing and accompany “It is well,” but my mind wonders: who taught us to say this…? The Lord or Spafford? Does it please us or God when we sing this song?