Journal of Faith: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling Philippians 2:12

I am coming out of a rough first couple of weeks in my new year. After pushing through illness for several weeks siting work and family responsibilities as an excuse for poor self-care, I finally went to the doctor.  I had felt all kinds of awful but figured that maybe some of it was just in my head, until I heard my doctor look in my mouth and say, "you've been sick for a while now huh?"  I got some medication to help with my swollen glands, and since the laundry list of side effects were things that I was already experiencing, I started popping the pills as prescribed fretting and praying that I didn't have to miss any more work.   This was not the way that I planned to start this benchmark year, but all things work together for the good of those that love God.  I stayed home for a couple of days and used that time to work on what God put on my heart a while ago.  I eventually stopped whining about the work that I was missing and the housework that wasn...

It was time to pay my tithes recently, but due to a bill that was several hundred dollars more than our previously discussed amount with a company it was either pay my tithes (10% of my income for kingdom work) or let it slide so that I would ease the financial crunch.  The fear of not having enough rushed in like the family member that you never invite but who always comes ready to make you miserable with all their bad news and/or criticisms.  It almost had me, but then a still small voice told me "never be afraid to obey God."  In that moment my anxiety turned to assurance.  Wasn't I just doing what God instructed?  Joy overflowed as I handed over God's money because that reminder opened my eyes and changed my life.  This was not just an instruction to get me to come up off of my cash, it was a boost for my faith in every area of my life.    I don't have to be afraid to do what God says because all of the instructions that God gives me are f...