One of the perks of being a college student is a three month summer break from school, but as a collegiate volleyball player, summer isn’t a time to take it easy. The spring offseason is an opportunity to build muscle, run faster and increase verticals, but all that hard work is for nothing if I chose to be lazy all summer. When August rolls around I have to report for two-a-days, and my work over the summer will be evaluated by a stopwatch, measuring stick and bench press bar. I have to set goals to accomplish and improve over the summer, otherwise I will lose motivation and not perform at my highest level.

Just as we set goals on the athletic field, we should also set goals in our walk with Christ. In Don’t Waste Your Life John Piper writes, “If you want your life to count, if you want the ripple effect of the pebbles you drop to become waves that reach the ends of the earth and roll on into eternity, you don’t need a high IQ. You don’t have to have good looks or riches or come from a fine family or a fine school. Instead you have to know a few great, majestic, unchanging, obvious, simple, glorious things – or one great all-embracing thing – and be set on fire by them.”

Paul knew one thing – the cross – and caught on fire. He set goals for a relationship with Christ and spread the gospel to the point of sharing in Christ’s suffering (2 Corinthians 11:24-27). And in Philippians 10 he made it clear he wanted to know Christ, the power of His resurrection, and the suffering of the bloodstained cross in hopes of being resurrected from death by grace. With these goals in place, he made a difference, grew the Kingdom and reached the resurrection he hoped for. Don’t waste your life. Set goals to further yourself spiritually today. Catch on fire and master knowing Christ.