Faith and Foolhardiness

So don't ask me why, but I've been reading Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling. And with much high falutent language he says that Abraham's faith when he was asked to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22) was truly exceptional because Abraham believed the absurd. He believed that even though God asked him to give up his son, that God would still find a way to restore Isaac to him. God's promise would stand.

Kierkegaard goes on to say that there's a difference between infinite resignation, and true faith. Resignation is what a lot of people see as faith. They see a situation and see the impossibility of it, they face the pain and press on, knowing God is all loving and knows best. They see eternity as when they will find happiness. He asserts, though, that faith goes one step further. Faith faces the impossibility of a situation, knows for a fact that it can not happen, and then trusts God to do it anyway--even if all forms of human logic make it seem that it just can not happen. Faith looks for God's provision in this life.

I suppose the truth of this assertion would be dependent on what the situation is. I mean, Abraham was depending on the promise of God. That's a pretty reliable plan. If we're simply looking at our own hopes and dreams and just seeing that they aren't unfolding and yet believe with all out might that God will do it. Isn't that just foolhardiness? Blind optimism? I can't really get my head around that being faith. I'm going to rassle with this some more and get back to you.