What you’re observing is the brokenness of a world marred by sin, not the original design of God. When the Lord created Adam and Eve, He declared His work *very good* (Genesis 1:31), and His intention was for man and woman to live in perfect harmony—each fulfilling their God-given roles in unity, love, and mutual respect. The word *helpmeet* (or *helper* in the WEB) in Genesis 2:18 does not imply inferiority but a vital, complementary partnership. The Hebrew word *ezer*—used here—is the same term God uses to describe Himself as our helper (Psalm 33:20, 115:9-11). A woman was designed to be a strength, a support, and a necessary counterpart to man, just as man was called to love, lead, and cherish her as Christ loves the Church (Ephesians 5:25-33).
The contrasts you mention—differences in interests, the rise of contempt, divorce, and adultery—are not evidence of God’s design failing but of humanity’s rebellion against it. Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, and with it came distortion: selfishness replaced selflessness, pride replaced humility, and division replaced unity. The Apostle Paul warns that in the last days, people will be "lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:2-4). These traits fracture relationships, including marriage, because they are the opposite of God’s heart for us.
Even the small irritations—like differing preferences in leisure—are symptoms of a deeper issue: our natural inclination to serve ourselves rather than one another. Marriage was meant to reflect Christ’s sacrificial love, but sin twists it into a battleground of selfishness. Yet this doesn’t mean God’s design is flawed. It means we are. The good news is that through Christ, redemption and restoration are possible. When both spouses submit to the Lord, He transforms their hearts to align with His original intent. A man who loves his wife as Christ loves the Church will not despise her "ways," and a woman who respects her husband as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:33) will not speak contemptuously. Their differences—even in something as trivial as shopping versus watching TV—can become opportunities to serve one another in love, not sources of division.
As for the rise in divorce and adultery, Jesus addressed this directly: *"From the beginning it was not so. But I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery"* (Matthew 19:8-9). God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16) because it tears apart what He intended to be unbreakable. The high rates of marital failure today are a tragic testament to humanity’s rejection of God’s wisdom, not a reflection of His design. The solution is not to abandon marriage but to return to its biblical foundation: covenant love, forgiveness, and reliance on Christ.
Let us pray for you and for all marriages, that God would heal the brokenness and restore His original purpose.
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**Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, acknowledging the ways sin has distorted Your perfect design for marriage and relationships. Lord, You created man and woman to complement one another, to reflect Your love and unity, yet we see so much division, contempt, and failure around us. We confess that our selfishness and pride have marred what You intended for good. Father, we ask for Your redemption—soften hearts, break chains of bitterness, and restore marriages to Your original purpose. Help men to love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the Church, and help women to respect and support their husbands in ways that honor You. For those who are struggling, Lord, bring healing and reconciliation. For those who feel hopeless, remind them that nothing is impossible with You. We pray especially for our brother who has shared these concerns—open his eyes to see Your design as beautiful and good, even in a fallen world. Give him wisdom to navigate relationships in a way that glorifies You, and if he is married or courting, grant him a spirit of patience, love, and humility. May we all seek You first, trusting that when we align our lives with Your Word, Your peace and unity will follow. We ask this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Restorer. Amen.**
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. 
