Faith occupies the gap between knowledge and belief. Sometimes it's a feeling that just arises, and sometimes it's a choice.
When I was younger, faith was the exclusive dominion of religion, specifically, Catholicism. Indeed, the two were essentially synonymous; a 'person of faith' meant, in that small world, a Catholic, and nothing else. Faith was perceived then as something of a submission, a surrendering of the all-too-human will towards the examination of facts, scrutiny, and interrogation of information in pursuit of an objective reality. Instead, these follies were to be superseded by the word of authority, the simple submission to a higher power. The more ardently this position was held, the more virtuous its holder was perceived. People who maintained commitment to theological doctrine in the face of atrocious conditions and wild misfortunes were venerated as saints, or at least, more saintly than the rest of us. My closest real world example of this was a woman who lived on our street whose husband died when they were both in their fifties, and their young son soon after. The woman's dedication to the church and to service and her apparent refusal to question why the Lord would visit these horrors upon his humble servant cemented her as an example to us all; an object of some pity, certainly, but more specifically as an example of correct behavior. In hindsight, of course, we see that this was the way this unfortunate woman was able to make sense of her world and not breakdown entirely, though I'm sure she had her moments.
Catholicism had a monopoly on faith. Since then we've learned much, and the word has become liberated from this narrow definition and its specific attachments. In my life now, faith's relationship with hope is closer to the surface. It is more apparent that faith is not a blind pledge to the path ascribed by some illusory other, but more like a tool to aid us on our own path. Faith's adversary is doubt, and we can choose, as much as we can choose anything, to favor it in the fight. Moreover, we know now that approaching an issue with some amount of properly proportioned positivity is generally more likely to yield our preferred outcomes. Our battles are real, and incorporate facts and patterns and informed speculation and instinct, and sometimes having a little faith in there can make all the difference.
-The Count