Is it Well with My Soul?

By: Suzanne Taylor

Isn't it interesting how God uses quiet, constant reminders to change our heart-thinking and free us from the shackles of misunderstandings of who He is? He did that for me - this week - through a song.

I have always loved the song "It is Well with My Soul." I even have the words hanging on my stairway.

But, if I'm honest, I have also hated it.

Trying to sing the words, 'it is well' when things are not well throughout my life has made me feel like a hypocrite and a liar. Singing this song only made me have to face my inconsistencies. Why can't I feel this way all the time?

I desire to always be in this peaceful state of mind, but truthfully, I'm not always there. Can you relate? The few times when I have been at peace with life at the time of singing this song, I tend to think, "Finally, maybe I can keep this peace. I have finally matured". But then, some circumstance happens, and I am left feeling sad, angry, lost, or alone. And, it never seems to fail that this is the time the song comes on the radio, or is sung in the church building. Here I go again - hypocrite. liar.

But, today, God has lovingly shown me my confusion. Maybe it could help you?

Somehow I got the 'mind, body, soul' thing intertwined when it came to peace. But, that is not what the song implies. It does not read, "It is well with my health". The lyrics don't say, "It is well with my mind." It states, "It is well with my SOUL." And, that, Friend, is the answer.

If I believe that God's plan and Jesus' action of dying on the cross to save my soul is true, really true, in real time, then my soul IS at peace. And, there is nothing I can do or feel that will change a plan that was fulfilled long before I was born.

This tune, therefore, is not speaking of peace for my feelings at any given moment, but of an undeniable truth that my soul is now, and is forever, safe in Him. My body can (and will) fail me. Bad things can (and will) happen all around me. I can (and will) have all the human feelings I have ever had. And , this will all happen without condemnation of not being 'peaceful' enough for God's liking.

This is good news. Really good news.

This puts me at peace - a peace deep, deep down in my SOUL - a "peace that surpasses all understanding". Philippians 4: 7

Listen to the rest of the verse - "...and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your HEARTS and your MINDS in Christ Jesus." Bonus!

I have always talked about the hard 12 inches between my mind and my heart. I can logically THINK something. But, to BELIEVE something means my logic has worked its' way into my heart. So, listen to this - when I understand the truth of my soul's placement in God for eternity, the 'knowledge' of this real-time belief enters my mind daily. And, when it enters my mind daily, my mind is guarded. Then, when my belief system, my mind, is settled on the matter of my soul's security, this truth-message travels the 12 inches down to my heart and settles there as deep fact. This 'guards' my heart.

My heart and my mind are guarded. My soul is secure in the One who made it so - without any of my doing or feeling....

Now, I can truly and forever more say what I hope you can say today...

"It is well with my soul."