Faith is

Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:2  For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Heb 11:3  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Faith is the hope and belief of things to come, things that are and things that were that do not fit in to the human explanation of them.
By Faith the elders - Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon etc have received a good report. Meaning they set the example for us and have stood in History because of their faith.

They moved in ways they did not understand because of faith.
They believed the Word of God, and they have not just a heavenly reward but they have an earthly reward of a good reputation and a lasting legacy.

Faith is substance. Faith in the Written Word of God, Faith in The Son of God, Faith in the Sovereign God is the substance of our belief system. Faith the evidence of things not seen.

Joh 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Many times I and others have said it is the way of God to do things in a way that we do not understand.
Christ did not come as a king or movie star or rich man. He came as one of us. Low of birth, average looking, working for a living.
The models set for us in the Bible are sin filled, mistake prone persons. Not perfect. Given to despair, depression, doubts, trying to do things in their own power.
God gave us so much hope through His Word for surely ,if they can live out a life of faith and trust in God despite their failings and missteps, it is possible for us.

We have not seen at any time Christ the Son of God yet we have believed, blessed are we. We have heard the call of God, and we have responded. That is Faith.
The substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.

We have believed through His Word, through a testimony set by someone else who believed, through the call of the Holy Spirit, through the sheer majesty of Creation.
However you reached the point of belief and calling on the name of the Son of God, that blessed name above all names, the name of Jesus, you made a choice to follow the unseen and blessed are you.

By faith we shall persevere. By faith we shall stand in the day of persecution. By faith we will have our reward one day at the great Bema Seat.
Faith is our calling, Faith is our life, Faith is our sustenance, Faith is our reward.
By Faith, one day we will have our names read in the hall of Faith.
By Faith, others may come to know the name of Christ and Call Him Lord based on our testimony.
By Faith we shall live, and die.

Faith is us.