It is Well

Luke 16:22 (NIV)

 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.

Angels were with her.

God must have been there.

When we face terrible situations and things work out well we are quick to recognize and praise the presence of God. Repeatedly I have witnessed this situation play out throughout my life. I agree that God is there and may send angels for protection but what happens when you face the worst and things don’t work out? Were the angels absent? Was God gone?

Horatio Spafford might have asked these same questions. In 1871, he lost his four year old son to scarlet fever and lost a fortune in the great Chicago fire of 1871. Then in 1873 he thought a family vacation to Europe would do them some good. They planned to leave but he was forced to stay and join them later. As his family crossed the Atlantic their ship collided with another ship and sank killing all four of his daughters and only his wife survived. Even after the loss of his children he was still able to pen the words to the hymn “It is Well With My Soul”.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know

It is well, it is well, with my soul. 

This song has been a gauge for me in evaluating how I am processing my grief. Shortly after Bryce’s accident, I was unable to sing along in church when it was played, instead I stood fighting back tears because I wanted things to be well with my soul. As the weeks and months have passed, there have been moments when I can join in the singing and other times when my emotions silence my voice. 

I have learned that part of making things well with my soul is understanding that God is there even in our darkest days. In Luke 16:22, Jesus is telling a parable and explains how angels carried the beggar to Heaven after he died. It provides me comfort to know that Bryce was not alone in his last moments. I know that angels escorted him home. I also know God has been with me as I have walked through this journey of grief. There have been both big and small moments that have reminded me of His presence. Each day that I turn to the Lord with my grief I grow closer to a day when I can more easily sing that it is well with my soul.