This is the second article in a series on living holy in an unholy world. We addressed this topic at this year’s XChange, a leadership event for women’s ministry leaders of all generations. (Read part one.)
We asked the small group of women’s ministry leaders: What is “emotional purity” and how is it visible across generational lines? This is the feedback they gave us:
- Loving the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind. (Luke 10:27)
- Not allowing earthly relationships to take first place over your relationship with Christ.
- Addressing the thought life continually: Take every thought captive to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
- Be in covenant relationship with someone to hold you accountable to emotional purity.
- Stay focused on God’s sovereignty and grace.
- Healthy emotional purity will show up in holy actions.
- We must not allow emotions to dictate actions and choices even though we acknowledge and value a woman’s emotions.
- Recognize our pressure points and pray for strength and peace through them, intentionally choosing to “set our minds on things above.” (Colossians 3:2)
- It seems older generations have mastered the art of covering up sin and younger generations don’t recognize or acknowledge sin.
- Older generation don’t feel free to express their emotions openly. Younger generations are very open emotionally.
How would you define “emotional purity”? Are you seeing this among the women you serve?
Watch for more posts in this series that will deal with how to cultivate holiness, live holy without being “holier than thou”, and other aspects of living holy.
Chris Adams is senior lead women’s ministry specialist at Lifeway Christian Resources in Nashville, Tenn. Learn more about Chris here.
Resources on Holiness:
Embraced by Holiness by Kathy Howard
Holiness: The Heart God Purifies by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Called to Be Holy: Growing in the Likeness of Jesus by Richard Melick, Jr.
