Moses gets it wrong again

Moses was as disappointed as Joshua and Caleb that God was sending the Israelites back into the desert instead of letting them enter the Promised Land. The Israelites would have to spend forty years in the desert as punishment for their unbelief!

What made things worse for Moses was that the people were always complaining. This time they were in the Desert of Zin. “Why have you brought us into this miserable place where there is no water and nothing can grow?” they moaned.

Then Moses and Aaron went to the Holy Tent to meet with God. God told Moses to speak to a certain rock, and water would come out of it. So Moses took his stick and told everyone to gather around the rock. “Listen,” he said, “must we bring water out of this rock for you?” Then Moses struck the rock with his stick, and water gushed out. But the Lord was not pleased with Moses because he did not honor Him by speaking to the rock.

How can I control my temper?

We all have bad days—days when everything goes wrong, when we feel disappointed, when others annoy us, and when we are tired. Our sinful nature takes advantage of our weakness. We may feel like shouting at everyone or throwing things around.

When you feel that way:

Allow the Holy Spirit to control you instead of letting your feelings decide how you will react.
Don’t keep angry feelings bottled up inside. Find safe and healthy ways to let them out. You can tell someone calmly why you feel upset, or use your energy by playing outside or doing some exercise. Moving your body helps you calm down and feel better.
Ask the Lord to give you peace and help you feel calm inside. Then pray that He will fill your heart with His love.

Verse for today

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19

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