It Is Well With My Soul—Even When It Doesn’t Feel That Way

There are certain songs that just seem to weave themselves into your life, whether you expect them to or not. It Is Well with My Soul is one of those songs for me. It's a hymn that's followed me through grief, heartache, and those moments where the pain of loss feels overwhelming, yet somehow, there's a quiet peace alongside it.

The first time I heard this hymn was at my nephew’s funeral. The day was already impossible to process, but when the music started, I felt something in the air shift. The words weren’t just being sung; they were wrapping around me, like a blanket of comfort in the middle of the storm. But I’ll be honest, I also felt conflicted. How could my soul ever be well again? How could I sing those words when everything in my heart was aching?

"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."

At the time, I had no idea about the backstory of this hymn. But once I learned it, it hit me on a whole new level. Horatio Spafford wrote these words after suffering unimaginable loss—his son in a fire, his four daughters in a shipwreck. Yet, in the depths of his grief, he still wrote this anthem of faith and surrender, declaring that even in the worst of it, his soul could be well. It's a song born from unimaginable pain, but it's not about staying in that dark place. It reaches toward hope, even in the storm.

That’s what grief feels like, doesn’t it? It’s a wave. Sometimes it’s gentle and in the background, and sometimes it crashes over you, pulling you under when you least expect it. And on those days when I’m drowning in it, peace can feel like a distant memory. I won’t lie and say that I’ve always been able to sing along to this hymn with certainty. Some days, my soul does not feel well. Some days, the loss is just too much. But then there are these tiny, sacred moments when the pain and the peace coexist. When I feel the presence of my daughter Alivia so strongly, or hear my mom’s voice in my head as if she’s still with me.

And in those moments, I understand it.

Not because grief has disappeared or because it’s gotten easier—because it hasn’t. But because love never leaves. And in the midst of it all, there’s a quiet peace, even if it’s hard to see some days.

The other day, I was out shopping, and I saw a plaque that said It Is Well with My Soul. Of course, I bought it. Like, really, was there ever any doubt? Now it sits on my nightstand, so I see it every morning and every night. It's like a little nudge from the universe, reminding me that even on the hard days, peace is still possible.

Because here’s the thing—I’ve learned that grief and faith can exist together. You can miss someone with all of your heart and still believe in hope. And, even on the days when it feels impossible, I know that peace will find me again.

If you're walking through grief right now, please know this: You’re not alone. The waves of grief may keep coming, but so can the peace. And, one day, even through the tears, you might find yourself whispering—it is well, it is well with my soul.

If you’ve never heard this hymn before or just need to be reminded of its powerful words, I’ve included the lyrics below. I hope they bring you the same sense of comfort and reflection they have brought me over the years.

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2. It is Within My Soul by Horatio G. Spafford
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4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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!
7. 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.
8. 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!
9. 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.