God's action was not cruel — living forever in a broken, sinful state would be a terrible thing. He was protecting them from eternal brokenness while also preserving the hope of full restoration.
Memory phrase: God protects us even with hard choices.
Talk about it: Can you think of a time a rule felt hard but was actually there to keep you safe?
Prayer: God, help me trust that Your decisions are always good for me, even when they are hard.