Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Matthew 26:36-46).

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear (Luke 22:39-50).

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Why did the disciples fall asleep, not once but three times knowing full well how distressed Jesus was and knowing how much it meant to Him that they remained awake? Why did Jesus pray the same prayer three times? What temptation is Jesus referring to?

When we are overcome with emotion, it makes us vulnerable to temptation and weakness, unless we cast our cares upon God and ask for His strength. God desires for us to bring our emotions to Him in prayer rather than letting our emotions lead us astray.

Fear can bring lack of faith and birth unbelief. Sorrow can lead to disillusionment, despair, and quitting the race. Anger can lead to revenge, unforgiveness, bitterness, and hate. If we don’t submit to God daily and cast our cares upon Him, our cares can lead us into darkness.

God desires for us to remain connected to Him and trust in Him through all circumstances. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (Ephesians 4:26). Simply put, if we don’t give our anger to God, it can consume us and birth consequences we will probally regret. Instead of praying, Peter grew sleepy with sorrow which led to revenge when he lopped off the soldier’s ear. Then his fear led to denying Jesus three times.

Jesus modeled how to cast our cares upon the Father. When Jesus said, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” He brought His sorrow to the Father in prayer, not once but three times, until an angel appeared to strengthen Him for the grueling events that lay ahead.

In our times of greatest need, we need to keep asking for God’s help. Otherwise we, like Peter, will succumb to our weaknesses which can give birth to sin and regret.