One evening as she talked with her sister Erin on the phone, Kim mentioned one of her new online friends—Brad. “You and I have always confided in each other,” Kim said, “but it’s really helpful to have a man’s perspective of what’s going on between Scott and me.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Erin exclaimed. “You don’t know who this guy is—he could be a real creep. Kim, this will hurt your marriage—not help it. My best advice as a Christian and as your sister is to keep Scott your first priority and stay away from other men—whether it’s a neighbor, a coworker, or someone you met on the Internet. If you need a guy’s point of view, why don’t you and Scott go in together and talk to your pastor?”

Kim was annoyed, but deep inside she knew Erin was right.

Marriage was designed by God to be a fulfilling relationship between a man and a woman who are both submitted to Him. But because of our fallen nature, our relationships become damaged. When we feel the need to confide in someone about our problems, things can get sticky.

If you are experiencing difficulty in a relationship, pray for wisdom and ask God to direct you to a wise and godly woman who will help and not harm the situation.