Books and How they Changed our lives: Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper

“Your mind was made to know and love God.” -John Piper

John Piper’s book Don’t Waste Your Life rocked my world as an 18-year-old. It was the summer before I started college, and my dad wanted me to read this book prior to moving away from home.

I wasn’t excitedly anticipating summer reading, but I inclined my dad’s wish. So much of what I learned from this book continues to shape my life.

Here are three quotes from the book and why they changed my life.

Quote 1:

“It is about the greatness of God, not the significance of man. God mad man small and the universe big to say something about Himself.”

Let’s be honest: We love ourselves. I love me. You love you. It is our human nature to do what we want to do, when we want to do it, and how we want it done. Our purpose on this earth is so much greater than this nature. All of creation screams of a Creator.

Quote 2:

“You don’t have to know a lot of things in your life to make a lasting difference in the world. But you do have to know the few great things that matter, perhaps just one, and then be willing to live for them and die for them. The people that make a durable difference in the world are not the people who have mastered many things, but who have been mastered by one great thing.”

How true this is. The world tells us we need degree upon degree, the biggest promotion, and the most money to have an impact on this world. Yet, who were some of Jesus’ closest followers-fishermen. The ordinary of the ordinary by worldly standards, yet what an impact they had in changing their world even after their deaths.

Quote 3:

‘God created me-and you-to live with a single, all-embracing, all-transforming passion-namely, a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying His supreme excellence in all spheres of life.”

These words rocked my world. We often downplay what God has called us to do in this life to just “Go to church and obey all the rules.”

Our purpose and calling is so much greater than that! I was pretty good at letting God have control of certain areas, but we are called to give it all to Him.  

Why it changed my life:

Reading this book the summer before I moved away from everything I had ever known was crucial. The timing of it was exactly what I needed. My dreams and desires centered around me. Leaving home meant so much more freedom. Freedom to make decisions on my own, and the habits you choose during young adulthood often set patterns for years to come. I have zero doubt that without learning the truth of this book, my life would look very different today!

Written by: Ben Brandon