by Anna Haiar

It is Well with my Soul

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“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” 
John 14:27 English Standard Version

There are moments in nature that stop us—quiet scenes that speak a language beyond words. Perhaps it is the soft curve of a river at dusk, or the way sunlight settles on a stand of trees after a storm has passed. When we pause long enough to really look, creation seems to breathe a steady truth: peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God.

This truth stands at the heart of Horatio Spafford’s hymn, “When Peace Like a River” The line “even so, it is well with my soul” is not a declaration born from ease or comfort. It is an act of surrender, an anchor thrown into the depths of God’s faithfulness when life’s waves rise higher than we ever imagined. Spafford wrote these words after devastating personal loss, yet his refrain is not one of defeat. It is the quiet confidence that God remains steady despite the storm.

This photograph was taken on a family trip to Dogwood Canyon in Missouri. This peaceful river reminds me that God’s peace is not fragile. It does not depend on calm surroundings or predictable days. His peace flows like a river through every valley and over every hardship, shaping us with each passing moment.

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). His peace is not circumstantial. It is rooted in His presence, His promises, and His unchanging love.

So when life feels overwhelming, and the edges of our days fray with worry or sorrow, the picture before us beckons us to remember the deeper reality: even here, even now, even so, it can be well with our soul. Because Christ holds what we cannot. Because His peace is stronger than our trials. Because He is faithful, and He is enough.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado