Within the body of Christ, relationship problems arise when pride overwhelms us, leading to division among the elect. If we truly believe that the blessings and callings given by the Father apply equally to all whom He has placed in specific spots, our perspective would be one of righteous living as a service to the whole, fostering absolute trust in His work. Instead, a carnally deceived heart often sees oneself as more special or of higher quality than others, building walls to protect personal territory within the body. This lack of trust among brethren tramples the purpose of the blessings meant for sanctified service to one another. Satan drives this division, accusing the brethren day and night, working to destroy the sacred trust and unity among us. We must be firmly convicted that each one called now is blessed and measured together with shared gifts, under the watchful eyes of the Father, who sees what we are doing. Without learning to faithfully trust one another in humility, there can be no unified body at the return of Jesus Christ. Additionally, as seen in Malachi, a gifted people can become arrogantly self-centered and contemptuous of one another, revealing infidelity and hypocrisy in personal relationships that contradict their relationship with the Father.

Relationship problems often stem from the internal conflict between human desires and the will of God, creating strife within individuals, families, and congregations. This war within us, driven by self-centered desires for gratification, produces pain and division when we allow human nature to overpower the Spirit of God. Submitting to God's will, as exemplified by Jesus Christ, is a challenging and often painful process that requires sacrifice and discipline. Jesus always submitted to the Father, sacrificing His own will to do what pleased Him, setting a pattern for us to follow. This submission is not easy; it involves internal stress and psychological struggle as human nature resists the Spirit. Even in doing right, we may face suffering and difficult times, as Jesus did, yet we are called to endure as good soldiers in this spiritual battle. The opposition we face is often internal, generated by influences absorbed from a spiritually dark world, making the act of submission a constant test of faith and trust in God. In relationships, whether in marriage, church fellowship, or family, submitting to God's will means responding to abuse or conflict with kindness and forgiveness, rather than vengeance, following Jesus' example of taking abuse without retaliation. God's gifts, accessed through asking, seeking, and knocking, provide the spiritual resources needed to overcome these battles, but only if we submit rather than react with hostility. The foundation of a right relationship with God is humility, which enables us to turn our will over to Him and receive the strength to grow and overcome in daily life.

Pride significantly distorts relationships with others, creating barriers and fostering destructive behaviors. In the account of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, pride clouds the Pharisee's perception, leading him to view himself as superior to others, including the tax collector, and to focus on their sins while ignoring his own. This false comparison hinders spiritual growth and damages relationships by promoting a sense of superiority rather than humility. Applying the principle of no pride, no problem can help refocus on personal shortcomings and foster a more honest self-assessment, improving interactions with others. Similarly, in the story of Naaman, pride inflates his opinion of himself, causing rage when his expectations of treatment are not met. His reaction to being addressed by a messenger, rather than Elisha himself, reveals how pride can manifest as anger and entitlement, straining relationships. When pride is unchecked, it escalates into destructive emotions, but by embracing humility and the no pride, no problem mindset, such conflicts can be avoided, allowing for more constructive and peaceful exchanges. Overall, pride disrupts human connections by fostering false perceptions and unchecked emotions, but removing pride through humility can resolve these relationship problems, encouraging genuine understanding and harmony.

In our society today, relationships have become self-serving in deeply disappointing ways. Adultery, once seemingly more common among men, has shifted since the mid-1960s with the sexual revolution and feminist ideology, and now it appears women may engage in it more often than men, facilitated by internet apps like Tinder that connect dissatisfied spouses with extramarital prospects. Spouses, often wives, offer excuses for late nights, claiming business meetings or social outings, while instructing their partners not to wait up. When infidelity is suspected or discovered, the guilty party often employs gaslighting, a tactic where the faithful spouse is made to feel overreacting, insecure, or controlling, with the affair dismissed as a meaningless mistake. This manipulation aims to shift blame onto the faithful partner, suggesting their actions drove the unfaithful one to seek comfort elsewhere, with no genuine repentance offered. Wise individuals end such relationships, while the naive attempt to salvage them, only to face repeated betrayal. Beyond societal bonds, many women today set superficial standards, refusing to date men who do not earn high incomes or possess luxury items, viewing themselves as the ultimate prize. This mindset, rooted in a distorted narrative, has led men to withdraw from the dating scene, seeing no benefit in the drama and expense. Such attitudes and behaviors stand in stark contrast to the kind of faithful, honoring relationship that is desired on a higher level. The heartache caused by unfaithfulness, as seen historically, mirrors a deeper relational struggle, where disrespect and betrayal persist despite offers of forgiveness and blessing. Our calling is to embody a different standard, one of honor, respect, and intimate closeness, reflecting a true and faithful bond with the One who seeks a virtuous and devoted partner.

The absence of comfort in our formative years can profoundly impact how we relate to others, both in marriage and within the Body of Christ. Research suggests that our childhood experiences with comfort shape our styles of love and connection, influencing relationships far into adulthood. A key question is whether we can recall being comforted as a child after emotional distress, as this environment creates an imprint that affects how we interact with others. Comfort includes support, encouragement, understanding, consolation, relief, security, and human touch, and its lack can manifest in five distinct relational styles. First, growing up in an environment with little affection and a high value on independence can lead us to become self-reliant and closed off, avoiding emotional connections and responding with anger when emotional demands are made. This self-sufficiency can hinder deep relationships, limiting connections to a surface level. Second, an environment of anxiety from overly protective or critical parenting may cause us to focus on pleasing others, avoiding conflict by giving in quickly and struggling to speak truth in love, often resulting in resentment over time. Third, inconsistent parental affection can foster feelings of abandonment, leading to a quest for consistent love, idealizing relationships, and reacting with anger or rejection when expectations are unmet, making it hard to share relationships or accept our own contributions to problems. The last two styles emerge from chaotic or abusive environments. One response is becoming aggressive and controlling to avoid vulnerability, reacting with anger to disorder and struggling with empathy due to a focus on maintaining control. The other response is to stay under the radar, tolerating abuse as a victim, avoiding personal opinions, and passively participating in wrongdoings rather than standing up for what is right. These styles can hinder our ability to cleave to a spouse and develop secure, stable relationships within the Body of Christ, highlighting the critical role that comfort plays on a human level in shaping our interactions.