My faith is important to me. It has gone through times of rockiness and questioning. I have been in theological and dogma debates with myself. What I have found is that faith is deeply personal, it's experiencing the transforming relationship with God that has made my life better. I'm a better person because of Christ.
I still struggle with particulars in my faith, but often I feel God simply tells me "quit worrying about that, love people, love me, that's all you need to do." Christmas, my usual focus is family. This year, Jesus was heavily in my thoughts. I realize that Christmas was created to assimilate people into the faith better, that many Christmas traditions are adopted from other places. However, society turns and any event or celebration, isn't its roots, it's what you make of it. I celebrate Christmas because in my family, it's about the birth of Jesus. I can also accept that's not why everyone else does or has.
Through my young adult and adult (ha, I am barely and adult) life, my faith has changed. When I got married, my husband wasn't sure what he believed about God. Yet, as his faith has grown so has mine. Through seeking something higher, following certain principles like: "love others, bless your enemies, treat others with kindness, pray, don't take offenses, forgive -even when it hurts, live with compassion" my life has become fuller and more peaceful.
I could tell you about the times I had prayers answered, or the times I thought I really felt God. That's only my experience, I don't see that as what will "make anyone believe". I'm not out to make anyone believe anything. I don't think that's what God calls us to do. I think God calls us to love people, forgive them, have compassion, suspend our egos, and that through those actions, they can see God.
Faith is difficult. Many intellectuals scoff at faith, because faith is directly at odds with proof. We want things to be proven and quantifiable. I think that spirituality is about relationship and faith, that God isn't out to prove himself, so he won't. I can get into all kinds of particulars about how my faith breaks down. What it is *exactly* that I believe, but I don't really think it's important. I think it's the living it that is important.
This Christmas, I'm very grateful for the spiritual walk I have. I'm a better person for it. I'm compelled to share it because it's been such a wonderful thing in my life. That's all.