What it Means to Work Out Our Salvation

Published by helloredds@gmail.com on 05/13/202505/13/2025

What It Means to Work Out Our Salvation

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Philippians 2:12

How do we work out our salvation? 

When I was a young adult, returning from a conference, a Christian concert, or a retreat often left me feeling slightly let down. Although the spiritual high was exhilarating, I struggled to trust God during the mundane aspects of daily life. I would fall back into my routine, resenting the ordinary moments instead of embracing them.

It took me years to realize that while the mountain highs provide us with spiritual rest, our faith grows through the valleys.

So, how does trusting God in those valleys relate to working out our salvation?

A Poignant Example

A poignant example rushes to my mind of when God nudged my heart years ago to visit my dying grandfather-in-law, Bob, in a nursing home. 

It was early in my marriage, and I hardly knew the man. I had only heard stories about his constant grumbling throughout his life. Nobody enjoyed being around him. When I met him for the first time, I witnessed a noticeable lack of joy.

We would visit him and my husband’s grandmother about once a week, and continued to do so after he was admitted to a nursing home. The visits were often awkward and short-lived, especially with our toddler in tow.

When we learned Bob was refusing the IV that provided him with his only source of liquid nutrition—essentially choosing to die of dehydration—his sons traveled to visit him one last time.

I remember standing in the front yard with my husband by the crab apple tree when my father-in-law and two brothers returned from their visit with their father.

“He’s ready to go,” my father-in-law choked out.

An uneasiness washed over me.

How could he feel ready? 

The Next Day

My father-in-law returned home, and the next day, I woke up with a strong urge to visit Bob. Although I struggled to see him on my own, I could not shake the feeling that I needed to go. Instead, I rationalized that exercising at the gym would help clear my mind. I was headed in the wrong direction, hoping I had misunderstood. 

I spent only five minutes on the treadmill before leaving and returning to my car. Okay, God, I don’t know why or what to do when I arrive, but I will go.

When I arrived, Bob looked surprised to see me. Standing before him, not knowing what to say, I simply asked what was on my heart. “Are you ready to go?”

He barely projected above a whisper. “Sort of.”

“Sort of” was not “ready.”

And “sort of” did not put my heart at ease.  

Cue the Tears

I began to weep. I wept over this man I hardly knew or felt comfortable being around for more than fifteen minutes at a time.

Then, I cried over him until I was finally able to speak. “I’m sorry, I just want to know I will see you again in heaven.”

As I looked down at his hand and said I wanted to hold it, but I was catching a cold that I didn’t want him to get. He reached out his hand anyway. I placed my hand in his. 

He whispered, “Thank you.”

Then, with nothing left to say, I resigned and said that I should be going.

“Thank you,” he whispered again as I left. Without premeditation, I made a beeline for the nurses’ station, asked for hand sanitizer, and then returned.

Then, he looked surprised to see me again. I took his germ-infected hand and rubbed sanitizer over his palm. He stretched out his other hand—the one I hadn’t held—and I rubbed that one, too. I said my final goodbye, and he whispered for the third time, “Thank you.”

With a pause and a wave from the door, I left. 

Afterwards, I returned home, fell into my husband’s arms, and wept again. I retraced the story through sobs. “I didn’t do enough.”

“You did more than you know.” He responded through his tears.

Three Days Later

Three days later, Bob passed away and, from what I was told, was unable to utter a word for the following days after my visit. 

I may never know what God did through my obedience or why He asked me to go, but I’m thankful I did. It transformed my heart, and I have a feeling, Bob’s, too.

And I may not have known the man well before that day, but I left feeling enough love for him to last an eternity. I often wonder if my presence softened his heart just enough for him to see Jesus. And I wonder with holy fear, what if I did not go? 

Perhaps this is what Paul means by “working out your salvation with fear and trembling.” 

If we don’t go, who will?

Paul’s Instructions – What it Means to Work Out Our Salvation

In Philippians 2:12, Paul instructs the Philippians about how we grow through the valleys and the mundane:

The first eleven verses of Philippians 2 show how Christ humbled himself by being obedient to the point of death on the cross. Our salvation as believers is secure through Christ’s death and resurrection.

But now, how shall we live?

In this chapter, Paul shows us exactly how Jesus came to fulfill His mission on earth through His surrender and obedience to God the Father and instructs the Philippians to follow His example of surrender.

In verse twelve, Paul emphasizes working out our salvation with a sense of reverence and urgency—he says, with fear and trembling. This is not a passive stance. Our faith calls for action. Consider the quiet nudges we feel, much like I felt when visiting my grandfather-in-law.

God’s promptings are often subtle and easily ignored. God’s call does not typically hit us with incredible sensations. Walking by faith feels uncomfortable sometimes. Yet we must respond to these Holy Spirit promptings with as much reverence and urgency as the wonder we experience during our mountaintop moments.

God is Constantly at Work

God is constantly at work. If we wait for those spiritual mountain highs, we will never grow in our faith and miss the eternal work He intends to do through us. God wants our trust and obedience, to choose His ways, even if we never see the outcome. 

When we choose to change our minds about an inconvenience or sacrifice and turn our thoughts over to God with honesty and vulnerability, we will become more like Christ.

Not only are we the hands and feet of Christ, but we can also reveal Christ’s tender heart to the lost. Our obedience through humble surrender is how we work out our salvation: surrendering our agendas, changing our minds, and going where God leads us. He works out the rest.

Prayer to Work Out Our Salvation

“Heavenly Father, You are good. Thank You, Lord, for working in me to will and to act according to Your purposes. Help me to obey your promptings boldly. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

What scriptures come to mind as you reflect on the story I shared and the topic of working out our salvation?

About the Author – Theresa Miller

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