583) I have learned that whatever I value the most, can bring the most pain in this life.  My husband, my family, my friends, my dog; all of these are very important to me and when “life” threatens them, I tend to hang on to them tighter. Abraham knew better than to hang onto these things too tightly in this world. He demonstrated this in being willing to obey God’s command to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Until God directly intervenes and closes this fractured life down, there will always be pain with joy. Trying to avoid this pain is useless and can lead to even more pain, the pain of loneliness. It takes faith to hold on loosely to these things, trusting that God is in control. It’s not a one-time decision. It’s something we must do continually. Genesis 22:1-18