I put "give up" in quotation marks because that is what many single adults say they are doing when they stop hoping for promised blessings and instead do things that make the promised blessings less likely. For instance, when people "give up," they might stop attending church meetings or singles activities, or they might date, cohabit with, or marry someone not of our faith. If I were to "give up," even if it were only for a short time, that might be just the time when I could have met a wonderful woman. I do not want to miss the opportunity.
And the opportunity can still come. As one friend told me: "We believe in a God of miracles." He requires that we "go with all [our] might and with all [we] have" to do what He has commanded "and cease not [our] diligence" (D&C 124:49, emphasis added). I do not have to be perfect right now; I just have to do my very best—and not give up. Heavenly Father will take care of whatever I cannot do for reasons beyond my control. I cannot stop trying.
Instead of "giving up," make big decisions with reference to the blessing you want to receive. I decided I would do things that would make me more marriageable in time, whenever that time came. So I went ahead with my schooling and started my career. I realized I do not have to wait until I am married to put myself in a position to support a family. However, I made sure that along the way I was still available to date and willing to marry. I like the way German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it: "We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God."1 In addition, I have tried to make sure that I do not get so set in my ways that I would be unable to adjust to having a wife and children with me too. Finally, I try to give meaningful service and become a more interesting person than I would be if I just sat around watching television. In the course of doing so, I have met other people who are trying to accomplish something good.