Paul wrote, 'Let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up' (Galatians 6:9 NLT). Look at Job the patriarch: attending the funerals of his ten children, losing his health and wealth in a single day, and listening to a wife with a sharp tongue. But he didn't give up. Let's learn from him! 'You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord' (James 5:11 NKJV). Job stayed focused on the end goal and endured the immediate circumstances.

There are times when giving up looks good, defeat seems inevitable and retreat seems the only option. The question is, how will we handle those times? On the threshold of the promised land, God told Joshua, 'Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go' (Joshua 1:9 NKJV).

The Israeli statesman David Ben-Gurion observed: 'Courage is a special kind of knowledge, the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought not to be feared. From this knowledge comes an inner strength that inspires us to push on in the face of great difficulty. What can seem impossible is often possible with courage.'

So what now? The Bible records the successes and failures of the people in its stories. Why? To let you know that God 'is with you wherever you go', and that he can help you start again when you fail, like he did for the Bible characters!

When King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Daniel's homeland and carried him off to slavery in Babylon, Daniel lost his house, his job, his freedom, his culture, his friends and his status as a member of Israel's nobility. He had to learn to speak a foreign language and live in a place where he didn't want to be.

If we were Daniel, perhaps we'd be tempted to focus on the things we couldn't control, blaming exile for our unhappiness and feeling sorry for ourselves? But that's not how Daniel reacted! He took charge of his life in the little areas.

The Bible says, 'Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the...king's [food]' (Daniel 1:8 NKJV). He decided to live by his convictions - even in small things. That's important because small battles train us for big ones! If Daniel hadn't taken control in small things, he wouldn't have had the strength to say no to big things like worshipping idols or facing the lions' den without fear or compromise.

So what now? Maybe you can't do anything about your work, a relationship or money right now, but you can change your life by taking control of the little things. Perhaps, like Daniel, it will involve what you eat, or what you watch on TV or the internet, or what comes out of your mouth, or a refusal to allow how people treat you affect your attitude. 'Purpose in your heart' to honour God in small things, and he'll bless you and become involved in your life in ways you never thought possible.

The apostle Paul endured desertion by his friends, ugly letters from the Corinthians, disappointment with the Galatians, mistreatment in Philippi, mocking in Athens, and then imprisonment and beheading in Rome. He preached victorious living to the end, saying: 'Keep alert. Be firm in your faith. Stay brave and strong' (1 Corinthians 16:13 CEV).

These are four principles for victorious living: (1) Keep alert. We have an adversary who is out to stop us (see 1 Peter 5:8). He's going after our God-given potential. We're seeds capable of producing a harvest of blessing. (2) Be firm in the faith. We can't stand on our feelings, circumstances or the opinions of others. These things change constantly. But, the word of God doesn't change. (3) Stay brave. Being weak-kneed won't cut it when the battle is raging. It's time to grow up and be brave; if we always seem to make the same mistake, we're not learning enough. (4) Be strong. Weakness attracts the enemy, and always comes before surrender. Giving up is not an option for us as believers. God told his people the promised land was theirs - but they would have to fight for it. And we'll have to fight as well!

So what now? Truth alert: Jesus means for you to have a victorious life. 'People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do, you will be blessed. Rejoice and be glad, because you have a great reward waiting for you in Heaven' (Matthew 5:11-12 NCV).

Not everyone can be the leading man or woman in a movie (or in our day-to-day life!). But, it's better to be a working actor than an out-of-work star; at least we get to be in the play! And most great achievers, if they're honest, will say they couldn't have done it alone; they needed the contributions of each member of the team.

So if God has placed us in a supporting role, let's accept it without complaining. Let's do our part to make the entire production stronger. Not only will we learn about team spirit, and it's important for when we do get the chance to lead, we'll also learn the Christlike virtue of humility. The Bible says we will 'grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head of the body...[who] holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly' (Ephesians 4:15-16 CEV).

Let's put our heart into whatever our part is.

So what now? Stop and think about how you're living your life. Are you giving it everything you've got, or are you holding out, hoping somebody else will recognise your talent? It's not about the greatness of the part you have been given, it's about how much effort you put into doing it. If God has placed you in a supporting role rather than a starring one, it's because he recognises that the team needs your particular strengths and talents. Ask him to help you accept the role he's given you and fulfil it with gratitude and dignity. Contribute wherever you are today.

When it comes to our relationships, we need to learn to be flexible. There are times when we need to stand firm, but if we find we always need to be 'right' and make the other person 'wrong', we'll struggle to build stable, long-lasting friendships and relationships. One author writes: 'We will not last together because we were never wrong. We will last because when we were wrong, we found the invincible will to correct the wrong and the grace to endure whatever it took to survive it together.'

Relationships are made up of imperfect people with different ideas, opinions, backgrounds, experiences and expectations - it's inevitable we'll disagree from time to time, no matter how well we usually get on. The key is to accept that we won't always agree, and then be willing to work together to find a solution, open to change and prepared to meet others halfway.

The root of many problems in relationships is selfishness. We like to get our own way. But that's not how the Bible encourages us to live. Philippians 2:4 (NCV) says: 'Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others'. When we're concerned for others as well as ourselves, we'll find it easier to co-operate and find middle ground when disagreements happen.

So what now? Are you involved in a dispute at the moment? Instead of standing your ground being 'right', trying to correct the other's 'wrong', ask God to help you meet the person halfway to solve the issue and honour the relationship.

An old, tired-looking dog wandered into a woman's garden. He followed her inside, down the hall and promptly fell asleep. Two hours later, he went to the door and she let him out. The next day he came back, resumed his position and napped for a couple of hours. This went on for a week. Curious, the woman pinned this note to his collar: 'Every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.' The next day, the dog showed up with a note that read: 'He lives at home with ten children - apparently he needs some quiet time. Can I come with him tomorrow?'

Loving and caring for someone can be painful at times. And that's one of the reasons why we should show those who care for us that we appreciate what they do. Of course, they get it wrong sometimes. But God's grace forgives us when we make mistakes, so let's extend that grace to our loved ones too.

In his letter to the Christians in Philippi, Paul wrote, 'Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God' (Philippians 1:3 NLT). Even with their shortcomings, Paul still had only thanksgiving on his mind when he thought of the Philippian church.

So what now? Today, whether it's a parent, family member or someone else who cares for you, give thanks for them. And maybe do something practical as well, to show them how much you appreciate them.