Faith in Desperation
/“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.”
— Psalm 34:18
If you have not read “The Danger of Invisibility” as a precursor to the next 5 devotions, you can read it here. Or the first of the five here: 1) Faith in Obedience, 2) Faith in Need
Have you ever felt totally lost? Irredeemable? Despised? Completely broken? Me too!
There have been times in my life where I couldn’t hardly look at myself in the mirror because I was so ashamed of the reflection peering back. It is in those times I have a tendency to hide. I withdraw from the world. I try to go “radio silent” and walk through life unnoticed. I wallow in my shame.
One of the most amazing passages in the Bible of a person seen by God is found in Luke 7:36-50. Jesus is invited to a meal with a Pharisee. A sinful woman from the community “stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.” (Luke 7:38).
The Pharisee muttered under his breath, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” (Luke 7:39)
Here you have a sinful, fallen woman. A woman who, like me, could not look at herself in the mirror. Yet, instead of wallowing in her shame, hiding or withdrawing from the community; she entered the Pharisee’s house and humbled herself at the feet of Jesus.
She had faith in Jesus. Her faith in Jesus was greater than her shame or humiliation. She knew the only option she had was to fall at the feet of Jesus, lay everything out in the open and worship Him regardless of the outcome.
I could learn much from this woman seen by God. She shines light into the shadows of my life where I try to hide my sinful ways. She is the epitome of freedom found in Christ compared to my continued deference to the flesh.
Everything in me screams to hide my shame and failures. Everything in her screamed to fall at the Savior’s feet, wash them with tears and her hair and humiliation. What I could learn from that example.
And how did Jesus respond? He shared a parable about forgiveness. Then scolded the self-righteous Pharisee, saying to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.” (Luke 7:44-46)
In other words, God was saying, “Simon, do you truly see this woman? Because I DO!”
Then, he turns to the woman and says, “Your sins are forgiven” and “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” (Luke 7:48,50) I could learn from a faith like that. A faith that upends social protocols and allows nothing to come between me and the feet of my Savior! A faith in desperation that is unshakable. Knowing I have nothing to offer but myself, yet He has everything to offer in Himself. And He sees me and wants to make the trade.
Know you are seen. Know you are loved. Know God forgives. Know it will be done.
© 2026 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.
