How to Have the Attitude of Christ - Fear God

One of the longest chunks of scripture I know by heart (although I assume it's not word-for-word in any particular translation) is this embarrassingly short bit from somewhere in Philippians 2:

Therefore brothers, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but also in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works through you to will and to act according to his [good?] purposes.

I know it not because it was a memory verse from my childhood, but because it's one of those key passages you look up when you're thinking about what it means to fear God, and so over time it's kind of stuck.

Anyone who is churched in even a vaguely similar context as me will know a much longer song version of the preceding chunk, which also happens to be the "Since..." bit that goes with the therefore above (ie. Since this, Therefore that).

The chunk goes something like this: You should have the same attitude as Christ, who although he has some claim to God-ness, became a servant (to God - not people) by becoming a man, and was obedient even to the point of death. And because of this God exalted him and made his name great.

Therefore brothers...

I've heard a couple of sermons on this passage, and never has it been treated adequately. The problem, I think, is that we baulk at the phrase fear and trembling and end up make excuses for the passage. I am convinced there's only one reasonable reading which is dictated by mere logic. Here it is in short:

Because the Philippians are obedient types, the working out of their salvation is a fearful thing. God has purposes that he is working out in the world, and he is using his faithful elect to achieve them. In the case of Christ this meant torture and death. In the case of Christians, it means filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions: could be torture and death, could be something else. All we know is that if you are faithful you should expect suffering. We know that the exalting bit will happen, and sometimes we'll ask "How long, Oh Lord" until your vengeance on the wicked is exacted? But for now the expectation is that, like Christ, we will be fearful and trembling, at what God has in store for us before that happens.

I don't care how many times that word fear is used in the New Testament (four I believe) and how it is used in any other context. It's irrelevant. And I don't care what our existing theology of fear is. It's irrelevant as well is it not? The context and logic of the passage takes precedence, and the passage needs to change the way we think, not be manipulated to confirm our pre-existing notions. No?

I'm terrified that my reading of this passage is accurate, because I'm not terrified enough of God's plans, which makes me wonder whether I'm seeing God right, and whether he's treating me as an obedient son, or merely a cry-baby who still needs milk and cookies, not meat.

I can't emphasise enough how unpopular this reading seems to be, and how necessary it is from basic comprehension of the entire chunk.