Restore your Love

When the risen Christ encountered Peter on the seashore, He did not ask Peter for a confession of his sin, but a confession of his love (John 21:15—17). You may fear that your failure has caught God by surprise. Perhaps you promised, like Peter, to stand with the Lord, but you failed. God was just as aware that you would fail Him as He was with the original disciples. He has made provision to respond every time you stumble. Don't think that somehow your failures are bigger or more complex than any God has dealt with. If you are facing challenges that seem overwhelming, don't be discouraged. God has already foreseen them and prepared for them (1 Corinthians 10:13) - Experiencing God - Blackaby

Anyone else out there do a Peter?  Oh I know that I have. Yet until I read this, this morning,  I hadn't realized the difference.  God knows the difference.  He knows.  He knows your thoughts and intentions. Knows how much like Peter we are. But let's not just look at Peter.  Sure Peter is most famous for what was recorded, but let's not forget that the other Disciples chimed in too.  Scripture was fulfilled in that the Shepherd was struck and they all scattered.  Even the writers of the gospel accounts were among those who had scattered.  We are no different.
We can, and I know that I have, set a bar for ourselves- much like Peter- that we can't achieve.  When we fail, and we will, we beat ourselves up over it. And then I read what Jesus said and did with Peter to restore him.
God already knows what I did, yes, asking Him for forgiveness is part of it, but remembering to reaffirm our love for Christ is the important part.  Just as Christ did with him we ought to do ourselves.  Don't beat yourself up.  That's self condemnation.  In Romans it says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Reaffirm who you are and whose you are. Let go, move on. Peter obviously did. Look at his writings. Look at his life.
Our enemy loved to remind us of our failures. No doubt he did with Peter. Jesus wants us to remember our enemies future. To remember we are eternally loved by Him from before time began.  To remember that nothing shall separate us from the love of God. Nothing.
God is not surprised by anything we have done or ever will do.  Since you're down there on your knees,  pray.  Then get back up, dust off, and get moving.  There's work to be done.  Moving slow is still moving.  Others who aren't saved see us. They know we are believers and it's not always easy to accept but they put us under a microscope. How we deal with life is what's on trial with them.  I have been very much reminded of this lately.  Scripture mentions that our behavior is noticed by unbelievers.