I once read about a man who loved to hunt, and bought two topnotch bird dogs. He kept and trained them in his large back yard.

Down the street lived a vicious-looking bulldog who liked to crawl under the fence to attack the two setters. Day after day he would come, and the two setters would tear the bulldog apart, until he could take no more and slip away with his tail between his legs.

But, each day, for weeks, he kept returning. And each day would go home whining in pain, licking his wounds.

After several weeks something interesting happened. The setters had only to hear the bulldog coming and quickly scurried into the basement of their owner’s home. They had had enough, even though they had beaten the stuffing out of the pesky bulldog time and time and time again.

The bulldog’s dogged persistence made him the winner. Determination, persistence, hanging in when others check out—that’s what makes a winner a winner.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to give up on and let go of those things in my life that are not in harmony with your will, and to never give up on those things that are. And give me the wisdom to know the difference. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name.”

1. 2 Corinthians 4:1 (TLB)(NLT).