All Shall Be Well

"All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well."

Julian of Norwich, 1342-1416

The above was a favorite quote of Julian of Norwich. There isn't much known about her except her writings. She was also known as Dame Julian or Mother Julian, an English anchorite of the Middle Ages. She wrote the earliest surviving book in the English language to be written by a woman, Revelation of Divine Love.

Her favorite quote caught my attention and these words were written about her: "Julian was passionate about the love of God. It was powerful, but it was also what she called 'homely'--that is, personal, practical, part of ordinary life. God was a father to her, but also a nurturing mother, holding her tight. And this gives us the reason that 'all shall be well.' If we are loved relentlessly by the all-powerful God, we can trust Him to be there for us in thick and thin . . . for thou art enough for me." The One Year Women in Christian History Devotional, Randy Petersen and Robin Shreeves.

Is He enough for me? Is He enough for you? "Mull over the pervasive love of God. Because He loves us, we know that, whether things turn out for the best or the worse, 'all manner of thing shall be well.'" Randy Petersen and Robin Shreeves

I may have difficulty at times to say all is well. I know I did in my early walk with God. But years of burdens and trials and years of seeing how God works, have made it easier to sit back and trust God. It's also a good reason to become friends with older, mature Christian people. What you can't see in your youthful living, an older person can from experience.

 "All shall me well . . ."  "What was Julian all about? In a word, love. In two words, God's love . . . God is more nearer to us than our own soul,' she wrote'"  Randy Petersen and Robin Shreeves

I'm reminded of the much loved song, "It is Well With My Soul." Whether my experience is good or bad, how does it impact my soul? Something can hurt; something can bring unwanted change, but overall, my relationship with God will display the final outcome.

"The highest pinnacle of the spiritual life is not happy joy in unbroken sunshine, but absolute and undoubting trust in the love of God."

Anthony Wilson Thorold, 1825-1895