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How can I deal with relationship problems?
Originally appeared online in the teen series: Q&A - July 30, 2019
Q: How can I deal with relationship problems—friends, family, romance?
A: Dealing with relationship problems has often felt stressful to me, especially when it has seemed like something needed to be said or done, but I couldn’t figure out what that was. One time in particular my thoughts were consumed with confusion and distress. I kept swinging between a self-righteous monologue about how right I was, and a “self-wrongness” monologue about how the problem was all my fault.
I could see no human actions that would bring resolution, which was probably good because it turned me to prayer. I’ve learned a lot about prayer, or turning to God for spiritual answers, through my study of Christian Science, and prayer has helped me in lots of relationship situations over the years. But I guess in this case I was so befuddled by the issues that it took utter helplessness for me to remember to turn to God.

October 14, 2019 issue
View Issue-
From the readers
Patricia Waddell, Phyllis Feldman, Alan Willis
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Released from jealousy
Name Withheld
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Never-ending supply
Amy Richmond
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It’s all about politics, … or is it?
Paul Sedan
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Keeping civil discourse civil
Lyle Young
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Vaccinations and safety
Ariana Herlinger
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How can I deal with relationship problems?
Susan Booth Mack Snipes
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Pain in leg and hip healed
Jutta Hudson
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Illness yields to child’s prayer
Liz Bremner-Smith
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Love heals relationship and health problems
Sushma Sharma
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'Fixing your gaze on the realities supernal ...'
Photograph by Jenny Sawyer
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News flash: The human mind is not a healer
Barbara Vining