If you are to gain genuine peace of mind, you need to find the answers to three big questions.

Where did we come from?

What is the purpose of life?

What does the future hold?

Where can you find reliable answers to these important questions? Rather than offering speculation or philosophy, the following pages will present the answers found in God’s Word, the Bible. We invite you to open your copy of the Bible and find out for yourself what it says.

Where Did We Come From?

WHY DOES THE ANSWER MATTER? Many people are taught that life on earth emerged by accident. They are told that through a series of unlikely, random events, evolution produced the human race with all its emotional, intellectual, and spiritual capacities.

But consider: If we really are the product of evolution and there is no Creator, the human race would, in a sense, be an orphan. Mankind would have no source of superior wisdom to consult​—no one to help us solve our problems. We would have to rely on human wisdom to avert environmental disaster, to solve political conflicts, and to guide us through our personal crises.

Do these prospects bring you peace of mind? If not, contemplate the alternative. Not only is it more appealing but it also makes more sense.

What the Bible Says

The Bible teaches that mankind is a direct creation of God. We are not the product of uncaring, mindless evolution. Rather, we are the children of a loving, intelligent Father. Note these clear statements made in the Bible.

Genesis 1:27. “God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.”

Psalm 139:14. “I shall laud you because in a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, as my soul is very well aware.”

Matthew 19:4-6. “Did you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will stick to his wife, and the two will be one flesh’? So that they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has yoked together let no man put apart.”

Acts 17:24, 25. “The God that made the world and all the things in it, being, as this One is, Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade temples, neither is he attended to by human hands as if he needed anything, because he himself gives to all persons life and breath and all things.”

Revelation 4:11. “You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created.”

How the Bible’s Answer Brings Real Peace of Mind

Knowing that “every family . . . on earth owes its name” to God alters the way we view other people. (Ephesians 3:15) Having such knowledge also influences how we view ourselves and our problems. Our thinking will be affected in the following ways.

When faced with difficult decisions, we will not become unduly worried about man’s conflicting opinions. Instead, we will confidently rely on the Bible’s counsel. Why? Because “all Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.”​—2 Timothy 3:16, 17.

True, applying the Bible’s counsel involves effort and self-discipline. Sometimes its guidance may even require that we act in ways that seem contrary to our inclinations. (Genesis 8:21) However, if we accept that we were created by a loving heavenly Father, it is only logical to conclude that he knows the best course for us to take. (Isaiah 55:9) His Word thus assures us: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5, 6) If we apply that counsel, much of the anxiety we experience when facing challenges and decisions will be removed.

When confronted by prejudice, we will not be burdened by feelings of inferiority, thinking that we are somehow less valuable than people of a different race or another cultural background. Instead, we will develop a healthy sense of self-respect. Why? Because our Father, Jehovah God, “is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.”​—Acts 10:34, 35.

This realization will also prevent us from allowing prejudice to warp our attitude toward others. We will appreciate that there is no legitimate basis for feeling superior to people of another race, since God “made out of one man every nation of men, to dwell upon the entire surface of the earth.”​—Acts 17:26.

Certainly, knowing that we were created and that our Creator cares for us lays the foundation for gaining real peace of mind. But more is needed if we are to maintain inner peace.

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Did the human race evolve?

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Knowing that our Creator cares for us can bring real peace of mind

What Is the Purpose of Life?

WHY DOES THE ANSWER MATTER? Few things are more distressing to the human spirit than the thought that life has no meaning, no purpose. On the other hand, a person who has a clearly defined purpose in life is resilient. Viktor E. Frankl, a neurologist and a Holocaust survivor, wrote: “There is nothing in the world, I venture to say, that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions, as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one’s life.”

However, there are numerous and conflicting opinions on this subject. Many feel that it is up to the individual to determine for himself the purpose of life. By contrast, some who believe in evolution teach that there is no ultimate meaning in life.

Really, though, the most logical way to discover the purpose of life is to consult the Life-Giver, Jehovah God. Consider what his Word has to say on the subject.

What the Bible Says

The Bible teaches that Jehovah God had a specific purpose for man and woman when he created them. Jehovah gave the following command to our original parents.

Genesis 1:28. “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.”

God purposed that Adam and Eve and their children make the whole earth a paradise. He did not intend that humans grow old and die; nor did he want mankind to harm the environment. However, because of the poor choices made by our first parents, we have inherited sin and death. (Genesis 3:2-6; Romans 5:12) Even so, Jehovah’s purpose has not changed. Soon the earth will be a paradise.​—Isaiah 55:10, 11.

Jehovah created us with both the physical and the intellectual capacity to fulfill his purpose. He did not create us to live independently of him. Note how God’s purpose for us is defined in the following Bible passages.

Ecclesiastes 12:13. “The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole obligation of man.”

Micah 6:8. “What is Jehovah asking back from you but to exercise justice and to love kindness and to be modest in walking with your God?”

Matthew 22:37-39. “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. The second, like it, is this, ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’”

How the Bible’s Answer Brings Real Peace of Mind

For any complex piece of machinery to work properly, it must be used for the purpose and in the manner that its maker intended. Likewise, if we are to avoid damaging ourselves​—be it spiritually, mentally, emotionally, or physically—​we need to use our life in the way that our Maker intended. Consider how our knowing God’s purpose can bring us peace of mind in the following areas of life.

When establishing priorities, many today devote their lives to accumulating wealth. However, “those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires,” warns the Bible.​—1 Timothy 6:9, 10.

On the other hand, those who learn to love God rather than money discover the secret of contentment. (1 Timothy 6:7, 8) They appreciate the value of hard work and know that they have an obligation to provide for their own physical needs. (Ephesians 4:28) But they also take seriously Jesus’ words of caution: “No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot slave for God and for Riches.”​—Matthew 6:24.

Therefore, instead of making secular work or the pursuit of wealth their top priority, those who love God make the doing of his will their primary concern in life. They know that if their life revolves around the doing of God’s will, then Jehovah God will take care of them. In fact, Jehovah considers himself honor-bound to do so.​—Matthew 6:25-33.

When dealing with people, many put themselves first. Today, the world lacks peace, in large measure because so many people have become “lovers of themselves, . . . having no natural affection.” (2 Timothy 3:2, 3) When someone disappoints them or disagrees with their viewpoint, they give vent to “anger and wrath and screaming and abusive speech.” (Ephesians 4:31) Rather than bringing peace of mind, such a lack of self-control only “stirs up contention.”​—Proverbs 15:18.

By contrast, those who obey God’s command to love their neighbor as themselves are “kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another.” (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13) Even when others do not treat them kindly, they endeavor to imitate Jesus, who when being reviled “did not go reviling in return.” (1 Peter 2:23) Like Jesus, they appreciate that it brings true fulfillment to serve others, even those who may not appreciate what is being done for them. (Matthew 20:25-28; John 13:14, 15; Acts 20:35) Jehovah God gives his spirit to those who imitate his Son, and this spirit produces in their life a genuine sense of peace.​—Galatians 5:22.

How, though, can your view of the future affect your peace of mind?

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A person needs a clearly defined purpose in life

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Jesus teaches us how to gain peace of mind

What Does the Future Hold?

WHY DOES THE ANSWER MATTER? A person’s prospects for tomorrow affect the way he acts today. For example, those with little hope for the future may adopt the attitude: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we are to die.” (1 Corinthians 15:32) Such an attitude often leads to overeating, heavy drinking, and anxiety​—not to genuine peace of mind.

Granted, if the future were left entirely in human hands, our prospects would be bleak. The earth’s air, water, and land are being polluted on an unprecedented scale. The threat of nuclear war and terrorist attacks is mounting. Disease and poverty affect billions worldwide. Yet, there are sound reasons for hope.

While humans cannot accurately predict the future, Jehovah God describes himself as “the One telling from the beginning the finale, and from long ago the things that have not been done.” (Isaiah 46:10) What does Jehovah say about what the future holds?

What the Bible Says

Jehovah will not allow the earth or life on it to be damaged beyond repair. In fact, the Bible promises that God will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Revelation 11:18) By means of his Kingdom, or heavenly government, Jehovah will cleanse the earth of wickedness and bring about the conditions he originally purposed. (Genesis 1:26-31; 2:8, 9; Matthew 6:9, 10) The following Bible verses open a window on the future, describing events that will soon affect every individual on earth.

Psalm 46:8, 9. “Come, you people, behold the activities of Jehovah, how he has set astonishing events on the earth. He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons he burns in the fire.”

Isaiah 35:5, 6. “At that time the eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. At that time the lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness. For in the wilderness waters will have burst out, and torrents in the desert plain.”

Isaiah 65:21, 22. “They will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not build and someone else have occupancy; they will not plant and someone else do the eating.”

Daniel 2:44. “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”

John 5:28, 29. “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear [Jesus’] voice and come out.”

Revelation 21:3, 4. “God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

How the Bible’s Answer Brings Real Peace of Mind

At first, the conditions described above may sound too good to be true. But these promises are made by God, not by men. And Jehovah God “cannot lie.”​—Titus 1:2.

If you learn to trust in God’s promises and live by his laws, you will retain your peace of mind despite the most trying of circumstances. War, poverty, sickness, and even the trials of old age or the prospect of death​—none of these things will permanently rob you of your peace. Why? Because you will be convinced that God’s Kingdom will reverse the effects of all these maladies.

How can you gain that kind of hope for the future? You must make “your mind over” and prove to yourself “the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) You will likely need further proof that the Bible’s promises are trustworthy. Such an investigation is worth the effort. Few things that you do in life will bring you greater peace of mind.