Hebrews 11:17-22

Hebrews 11:17-22
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  When the challenges come, how do we respond?
  I can't make sense of what God asked Abraham to do.  I understand that it was something God himself was willing to do, sacrificing his only Son on the cross, but it is still an unimaginable burden that I cannot fathom.
  But we all face challenges that press down on us, that force us to dig into our reserves.  When we do, how do we face them?
  Do we opt for despair, recognizing that we do not have the resources to deal with whatever torments us?
  Or do we turn to God, recognizing that he alone is the source of our strength and our life, and that only through him will we triumph over adversity and discover the abundant life that truly is life?  Will we recognize adversity as momentary and understand faith as the path that leads through the valley?  Will we lean heavily into God, trusting that he knows and understands our path and will lead us through this, that the light may continue to shine, even in the darkness?