Our Own “Trail of Tears”
Our Own “Trail of Tears”
by Verinda Birdsong
Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning (Psalms 30:5)
If you are a history buff or if you remember your high school class in American history and the expansion of the West, then you are familiar with the term “Trail of Tears” so called by Native Americans when the governments of Georgia and the United States in their endeavor to confiscate rich, prime land, removed hundreds of thousands of the First Americans from their ancestral home to Indian Reservations throughout the Midwest. For several years, as each tribe beginning with the Chickasaw Nation and ending with the last forced relocation of the Cherokees in 1839, “trails of tears” were formed during the extrication process either by a civil war of words and guns, conciliatory treaties, or forced removal that often involved intrigue, covenant breaking, betrayal and genocide on both sides.
This term “ a trail of tears” though born out of grief, commemorated for the First Americans, the physical and spiritual death in leaving behind the familiar and going to the new; in losing and gaining; in hardship and injustice, born in pain and rejection, in hopes of a day of vindication and renewal, when hope would be restored, forgiveness given and lands stolen, compensated. Many years later, after years of waiting, many Native Americans were able to claim reparations for the lands lost as well as a re-claim a renewed sense of freedom and restoration as honored citizens, nobly called the First Americans.
As a history buff, it was interesting to me that God would remind me of the significance of this event in my own life at a time of a relocation to another state and the loss of the familiar. I too, have endured many trails of tears: the death of my father and then two years later, the death of my youngest brother; a relocation to due to a job layoff, a painful relationship break-up; the loss of finances; betrayal of a friend and family member; a “sickness not unto death”; bankruptcy; the repossession of a house and car; and the lost of opportunities and dreams that were planned. Difficult seasons of transitions and loss create “trails of tears” that I thought I would never be able to overcome. I know what it is like to fight the spirit of fear: the fear of the unknown; the fear of more loss; the fear of failure and the fear of success. I know what inner trauma and a troubled mind can do to you when you have to make difficult decisions, and each decision is a choice between bad or worse. These trails of tears taught me that though I may not understand it, God is closer to us than we believe. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”
The Book of Lamentations written by Jeremiah who is also referred to as the “weeping Prophet” also understood overwhelming loss and grief. In his “song of lamentations” expressing his grief over the destruction of the land of Israel and the captivity of his people being sent to Babylonian exile for 70 years, he is consumed with tears, misery and depression. The 3rd chapter reaches a crescendo of lament that culminates into a song of hope and renewal that after the 70 years is accomplished, restoration and hope would come to his people, the Jews.
In the midst of his grief over the destruction of his land, Jeremiah reminds us that we can have hope in the bitterest of circumstances because “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him”, (Lamentations 3:22-24). This same hope is available to us if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. The saving faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, assures us that a day of eternal restoration is coming. This hope will bring the cheer you need so that you will be stabilized in the worst of circumstances and through the vicissitudes of our human experience. Like Jesus , “although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). We too will experience our own“Via Dolorosa”. We can have great hope, that after death, there is a great resurrection and abundant life that only Christ can give. Our lives than can glorify God in dire times, because as believers, we survive because God said, “ I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," (Hebrews 13:5).
Yes, our journey may be stained with tears, but if you have placed your hope in Christ, it is never for our destruction or extinction. Beyond the things of this life, we have an eternal hope that when we get to Heaven, our God “will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelations 21:4).
“I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.” (1 Peter 1:6-7 – The Message Bible)
All scriptures quotes are from the New American Standard Bible, except where indicated.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Verinda Birdsong is a new Christian writer and belongs to the American Christian Writer’s Association (Nashville, TN). She has been a Sunday School Teacher for different churches and has taught bible lessons to children and adults.
