Philippians 2:12-18 ~ A life of joyful suffering
v12) Paul encourages us to continue to 'work out our own salvation' with fear and trembling This fear is more of an awe for God and his power It brings comfort that we have an all-powerful creator who cares and loves us unconditionally This should also motivate me to trust him v14) Paul reminds us not to grumble or dispute when we work for the Lord It is a privilege and great opportunity when we are working for God's glory and kingdom We should not spoil it with bitterness or discontentment v15) As such, we will stand out when we adopt and transform our hearts in this way We stand out and 'shine as lights in the world' because this is not what the world tells us to do v16) Paul gives us a way to deal with those times - namely, he tells us to hold fast to the Word When we do so, it means that God will comfort and be there for us when we do go through difficulties Paul is comforted knowing that all his labours will be worth it on the d...