“Working out” my salvation

“Work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, fully complete)

your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling”.
Philippians 2:12 Amplified Bible

It is my greatest desire to influence those around me to seek after Christ. That seemingly would indicate that my focus would be upon them. This verse shows me the wisdom and purpose of “working out” my own salvation. As I do this, I am working it out before others.

Others can see the struggles, and also the victories. As we turn our own hearts to God, others are watching. There is always someone in our life that is “standing on the sidelines.” They watch… and wait… and then watch some more. One day they will decide to either move in closer to what they are watching, or to move away.

Because of this, I ask myself this question, “What does the “working out of my own salvation” cause them to do?” As I learn to completely trust God with each of the more difficult areas of my own life, do my actions cause others to want to learn to do the same? As I learn to serve those older members of my family, with care and without grumbling, am I setting a standard of love that the next generation will decide to follow?

As I strive to love and honor my Husband in all that I do and say, will I cause others to do the same? As I open up my deepest areas of pain and brokenness, and allow the Lord to heal them, will others find the courage to trust in Him, also?

I have learned some of the deeper lessons in life by watching others and listening to what they say to see if their words and their actions lined up. As I saw that they did, I myself, finally found the strength and courage to “step into the ring” so to speak, and leave the familiar safety of the sideline.

It was as if every day I could “hear” the bell ring, but one day I decided to move into the “starting” position. It was then that my own “race” truly began! All of this took place in my own life because of those that went before me that had decided to “work out” their own salvation, with fear and trembling. They were those who chose to dig deep into the purposes that God had designed for their lives. They were those who feared to step out, yet stepped out anyways, those who had been taught by life to never hope or trust again, but gave it one last chance.

These are the ones that had begun as an influence in my life, and then quickly became an inspiration. Today it is my desire to work out my own salvation in such a way as to bring glory and honor to my Lord’s name, and by my example, to hopefully compel others to do the same.

This has always been and continues to be, the example and purpose of my precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Written by Beverley A. Napier