belief vs faith

Miriam-Webster defines these two, often interchanged, words in our common vocabulary. 

belief - [1] a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing; [2] something that is accepted, considered to be true, or held as an opinion; [3] conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon, especially when based on examination of evidence

faith - [1] loyalty or allegiance to duty or a person; fidelity to one's promises; [2] sincerity of intentions; complete trust; [3] believing with strong conviction

Belief is taught or acquired by external and outer experience. Faith is nurtured and grown within and internalized. 

All too often we don't question our belief enough, while we are apt to question our faith all too much. Why is that, we wonder? 

Are tenets held by a group and repeated regularly, automatically, or by rote made stronger while left to thrive unexamined? 

With no strong conviction, do we have difficulty holding firm to something intangible, for which there is no proof? 

To what or to who do we place our trust, our commitment, our selves? 

Faith is a gift as well as a virtue - like a spiritual muscle. Each of us are born with this innate instinct - it is up to us to embrace and nourish. Just like muscles are part of the body we are born into this world with.

Have we acknowledged this body-heart-spirit collaboration we embody? How often do we assess our clarity and balance in this regard?

Perhaps its for this very reason we have been blessed with a physical corpus that depends on its emotional state.

As seasons change and the air grows chill, how do we better prepare for this new cycle? Be present and attentive to the changes - within and without. 

We gather our scattered self, slow down, and snuggle in warm comfort and grace.