Jan 24 2025
Testing Peace and Rest: Where Authenticity Takes Root
Peace is a strange thing when you first find it. It feels almost too good, like something you didn’t earn or don’t quite trust yet. It sneaks in quietly as you start peeling back the layers, discovering who you are underneath everything the world told you to be. And then, out of nowhere, your mind goes: Wait, is this okay? I’ve never been here before. What if it’s not real?
That moment when you’re tempted to question the peace you’ve found isn’t a sign you’re failing. It’s a sign you’re waking up. Testing peace isn’t about rejecting it; it’s about making sure it’s real. Because true peace doesn’t just happen on the surface, it takes root deep in your core, where it can’t be shaken by fear, pressure, or noise.
Why Testing Peace Matters
Think of peace as something alive, like a seed that starts small but can grow into something unshakable if you give it the right care. Testing it doesn’t mean you don’t trust it; it’s how you strengthen it. Testing asks the hard questions: Does this peace come from who I truly am, or is it just another layer of performance? Can it hold up under stress, or does it disappear the second things get messy?
This isn’t about being skeptical of yourself; it’s about knowing yourself. Peace that’s rooted in your core values will hold steady. Peace that’s built on a façade will crumble the second life tests it. And that’s okay, every test teaches you more about where the real you begins and the false you ends.
Here’s how you can test it:
* Challenge It: Put your peace in situations where it might not come easily. Does it stay with you when you face discomfort or uncertainty?
* Question It: Ask yourself if this peace feels true to your core, or if it depends on something external to exist.
* Observe It: Pay attention to how your peace interacts with tension or adversity. Does it guide you, or does it retreat?
Testing isn’t an attack on your peace. It’s like checking a foundation to make sure it can handle the weight of the life you’re building.
Resting in Peace (Literally)
Here’s the other side of the coin: Peace doesn’t just get stronger when you test it, it grows when you rest in it.
But resting is hard. If you’re used to being driven by fear, achievement, or other people’s opinions, stillness can feel like losing control.
It’s not.
Resting is where the work gets done without you having to do anything. It’s where your identity starts to feel less like something you have to defend and more like something you just live.
Here’s how you rest in your peace:
* Make Room for It: Set aside time to just be. No distractions, no to-do lists. Just sit with yourself and let the quiet settle in.
* Face the Discomfort: If peace makes you uneasy, that’s okay. Let those feelings come up and look at them with curiosity. They’re not your enemy, they’re your teacher.
* Let It Be Enough: Stop trying to prove your peace is real. It doesn’t need validation. You don’t need validation. Let the quiet be enough.
Resting in peace isn’t about doing nothing; it’s about letting go of the need to control. It’s choosing to believe that who you are is already enough, even if you’re still figuring it all out.
How Testing and Resting Work Together
Testing and resting aren’t opposites, they’re partners. Testing peace helps you trust it.