Spiritual Reflections
Our biggest struggle is with ourselves
Pat Ozment, Jr.
Last week we were with the whole IMB West Africa Missions Team, for a week of conferences, training, fellowship, and encouragement. There were approximately three hundred of us along with about 50 volunteers from a number of U.S. Baptist Churches.

Every morning started with an hour and a half of worship and praise. I wish you could have been there. We visited friends, and made new ones. Someone Peggy and I met for the first time is a delightful young lady named Brandy Nelson, from Greenville. We once were practically her neighbours, and we had to travel half way around the world to meet her.

Every morning we were masterfully led in a study from Hebrews, by Allan Blume, Senior Pastor of Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Boone, North Carolina. One of the lessons was on Spiritual Growth, and part of it touched on the personal righteousness found in mature believers.

Pastor Blume made a statement that "struck and stuck." He said, "the enemy" is "in uh me." Just as we travelled around the world to meet someone from home, we can travel around the world to find that our biggest struggles are the ones we brought with us. We all struggle, but if we are honest our biggest struggle is with our selves, not others.

We need to heed the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:1-6, "I therefore the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."

If you have a problem with a fellow believer, at least part of the problem is "in uh you." Cover your problem with the love of Jesus, and I'll see you in Church.

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