People may speak about Peter’s denial of Jesus (Luke 22), but to see it properly, we need to start by looking at it through the lens of the Garden.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told them to

“pray that you may not fall into temptation - Luke 22:40.” 

Jesus knew that challenges were coming, and He knew that the strength they needed would come through prayer.

Yet in their grief, they were unable to stay awake, and when challenged, they fell away.  We can learn a couple of lessons from this.  

One, if we don’t pray to stand firm and be strong, we are apt to fall.  Our enemy is strong, and we cannot go to battle with Him without the Lord.  The strength we need, spiritual strength, only comes from Him.  We need to be regularly praying for strength in the midst of the battle.

Two, if we don’t stand firm (if we fail), He is ready to take us back.  This doesn’t mean that there won’t be consequences to our actions, but His love and His grace allow for us to return to Him.  And if this does happen, hopefully we will understand the need to be close to Him, the need for prayer, and that in the end we will have Him be first in our lives.

Lord, I am weak, but You are strong.  And left alone, I will fail.  I am so grateful that I am not alone, though.  You are with me!  Lord, please strengthen me that I might not fall to the temptations of the evil one.  But if I do, help me to repent and return, knowing full well that even the best have fallen short at times, and that You love me and are there for me.