By Judy Diko
“And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, shall keep your hearts and your minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
The words in the heading of this article, takes me back to the story behind this song. As one of my favorite hymns, the lyrics of this song has kept me going in times of difficulties.
Having been through the same trial as the author and his wife, I can relate because I know exactly how they felt and what they’ve gone through. However, from a mother’s point of view, I am of the view that, compared to Anne Spafford, her degree of grieve must’ve been quadrupled. I only lost one child (which happened to be my only one), whereas Anne first lost her young son to pneumonia, then she lost the rest of her four daughters to the sea. What was to be an exciting time of fun, exploration and leisure turned into a time of immense pain, sadness, tears, feelings of abandonment and so much more.
I am very sure that many questions ran through her mind, as she tried to make sense out of the entire situation. Why would God bless her with 5 children, just to take them all away from her, with the last “batch” all gone in one day? Who in their right mind can survive such an ordeal? Not to even mention the ordeal she had to go through by herself, as one of the few survivors of the ship, she having to endure and preserve while floating on a piece of wreckage before a sailor saw her. Anna gave birth to three more children, one of which died at age four with dreaded pneumonia. YET her faith in God made her utter the following words: “God gave me four daughters. Now they have been taken from me. Someday I will understand why.” From the pen of her husband came the well-known song It Is Well (With my soul).
This is a profound message to everyone including myself. Despite what we are going through or will still go through, if you are IN God, it will be well with your soul. I am a living testimony and I’m sure many others can vouge that this song has been a pillar of strength to lean on when times were tough. Knowing that God was, is and will always be with you no matter what crisis you are facing.
SELAH!
Written by Judy Diko for The Kingdom TV.
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