The First Conflict

Genesis 2: 8 - 9, 15 - 18 (NIV): Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ... The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

It is interesting that the first time God said something was not good, he was referring to the aloneness of man, before sin entered the picture. He placed Adam in the garden and set fruit trees around him to enjoy. But Adam was alone and that was not good.
Seven times during the account of creation, God said “it is good,” but here, for the first time, he knew something wasn't right. He knew Adam needed a suitable helper, a partner. Someone to love. Someone to encourage him and to help him. Someone to keep him from being lonely.
God knew we needed that. After all, he created us and knows what we need. He knew he had hard-wired us to connect to others. He knew we needed physical touch. We need hugs and pats on the back and human contact. God didn't create us to be lonesome creatures or to be creatures who only need fellowship with him. He created us to connect with others.
God's plan is for a woman to partner with a man. I think it's a great plan! Eve didn't come from Adam's feet to be trampled by him, or from his head to lord over him, but from his rib to stand by his side. What a beautiful picture. God instituted the family early in the Bible and he hasn't changed his mind.
God knows he can encourage us through the Word and by his Spirit, but he knows we need physical contact and audible encouragement, and he must use others to provide this. Jesus told us to love each other as he loved us. When we do, we get a taste of paradise. When we do, we will say it is good what God has done.