“I will sing to the
Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to
my God while I have
my being. . .Bless
the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord!”
Psalm 104:33, 35
(NKJV)
“God is our refuge
and strength, a very
present help in
trouble. Therefore, we
will not fear, even
though the earth be
removed, and though
the mountains
be carried into the
midst of the sea;
though its waters
roar and be troubled,
though the mountains
shake with its
swelling. Selah.”
Psalm 46:1-3
(NKJV)
We were made to sing praises
to God—and not only when we’re feeling good, because God is always worthy of
praise. It’s like the exhortation to rejoice always (1 Thess. 5:16)
regardless of our circumstances because we rejoice in the Lord.
One good example of this is the story behind “It is Well with My Soul,” a
wonderful hymn written by Horatio Spafford in 1873.
Mr. Spafford was a
successful lawyer and businessman until most of what he owned was destroyed in
the great Chicago fire. His 4-year old son had died of scarlet fever the year
before. Desiring a rest for his family, he planned a European trip and sent
them ahead on a ship, planning to follow them in a few days. But their ship was
struck by another vessel in the ocean and it sank. His remaining children (4
daughters) perished and his wife sent him a telegram with the words “Saved
alone. . .” Mr. Spafford supposedly wrote this hymn as he approached the
part of the ocean where the ship carrying his daughters had sunk.
“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.”
Only a child of God who
trusts in Jesus as Savior and Lord can have peace in the midst of such
tragedy.
We may not experience
heart-breaking losses to the extent that Mr. Spafford did, but every believer
will experience grief, everyday worries, and all
sorts of trials and trouble in this life. Yet Jesus says we should not let
our hearts be troubled (John 14:27) because He is the anchor in every storm,
our firm foundation when all around us is quaking. Yes, we grieve but not
as the world does. Christ has promised to prepare a place for us and take us to
Him (John 14:2). We should take comfort in knowing that the difficulties we go
through here are only temporary and we are eternally safe with our Lord.
Because of these wonderful
truths, we can have assurance and peace, no matter what difficulties we go
through. Are you in a storm now? Or has the gloom of the everyday grind
settled upon you? Let not your heart be troubled; praise God because it
is well in your soul.
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