The Paradox of Faith

I’ve been thinking a lot about the issue of faith, and forever find myself coming to the same paradox. Faith, by deffinition, is belief without any considerable proof. Now, how can one believe in something without knowing and understanding the variables surrounding it? The choice of faith, as demostrated by millions across the globe, is quite obviously not impossible. What could motovate someone to believe in that which they do not understand? I’m certain people who have faith in anything inparticular try to understand that element "to the best of their ability," but surely they’re aware of the unseen variables. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t call it faith. The choice of faith seems to be a product of desire…but a desire for what? To be a part of something that transcends logic? Something that will bind their loved ones to them? Something that will ease the burdon of all new choices? Of course there are plenty of logical reasons for the desire…I often wonder about my own adamant claim to the element. What moves me? Is it fear? Spite? Ego? Or perhaps a little voice within my conscience telling me that "the voice of the wise and aarogant is wicked; and that which is perfect always knows better."