Our Readers Ask . . .
Will Everlasting Life in Paradise Be Boring?
▪ The Bible offers the hope that we can live forever in Paradise on earth. (Psalm 37:29; Luke 23:43) Will living endlessly in a perfect environment become boring?
That is a worthwhile question. Researchers have found that chronic boredom may cause a person to become anxious, depressed, and prone to taking risks. Those who see no purpose in life or who tire of their daily routine might succumb to boredom. Will the lives of those in Paradise lack purpose? Will the daily routine be dull?
First, consider that it is Jehovah God, the Author of the Bible, who makes the offer of everlasting life. (John 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:16) God’s primary quality is love. (1 John 4:8) Jehovah loves us deeply and has given us all the good things that we now enjoy.—James 1:17.
Our Creator knows that in order to be happy, we need purposeful work. (Psalm 139:14-16; Ecclesiastes 3:12) In Paradise, workers will not feel like insignificant cogs in some massive machine. The work they do will directly benefit them and those they love. (Isaiah 65:22-24) If you had interesting, challenging, full-time work to do, would you find life boring?
Consider, too, that Jehovah God will not allow just anyone to live in Paradise. He offers the gift of everlasting life only to those who imitate his Son, Jesus. (John 17:3) While on earth, Jesus delighted to do his Father’s will. He taught his followers both by word and by example that lasting happiness comes more from giving than from receiving. (Acts 20:35) In the restored Paradise, all will live by the two greatest commandments—those that call for love of God and love of neighbor. (Matthew 22:36-40) Imagine being surrounded by unselfish people who love you and who love their work! Do you think you would become bored in such company?
What else will life in Paradise involve? Each day, we will be able to learn something new about our Creator. Researchers have already made many remarkable discoveries about Jehovah’s creative works. (Romans 1:20) So far, though, we have hardly scratched the surface. Thousands of years ago, the faithful man Job reviewed what he knew about God’s creative works, and his conclusion is still true. “These are the fringes of [God’s] ways,” Job said, “and what a whisper of a matter has been heard of him! But of his mighty thunder who can show an understanding?”—Job 26:14.
No matter how long we live, we will never discover all there is to know about Jehovah God and his works. The Bible states that God has put the desire to live forever in our hearts. But it also says that we will “never find out the work that the true God has made from the start to the finish.” (Ecclesiastes 3:10, 11) Do you think you will ever get bored with learning new things about your Creator?
Even now, those who are busy doing work that benefits others and brings glory to God seldom find that they are bored. We can be sure that if we remain busy doing similar work, we will never become bored—even if we live forever.
[Picture Credit Lines on page 27]
Earth: Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center; Galaxy: The Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI/NASA)