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Suffering and tribulation can produce supernatural growth and deeper faith when processed through the gospel of grace rather than self-reliance.

• Paul explains how Christians can "glory in tribulation" despite the seeming contradiction
• Suffering initiates a chain reaction: perseverance leads to character and character leads to hope
• Christ suffered so He could sympathize with our weaknesses as our High Priest
• Jesus never promised comfort but rather tribulation in this fallen world
• Our citizenship is in heaven—we're just passing through this world
• Trials help us focus on what truly matters and remove distractions
• Justified believers view suffering as refinement rather than punishment
• God's love is poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit during trials
• All God's wrath for believers was fully satisfied at the cross
• Freedom comes from seeing tribulation as a pathway to a deeper appreciation of God's grace

Remember that Jesus is our faithful high priest who lives forever to intercede for you. The work He started in you, He is faithful to complete, and no one can snatch you out of His hands.

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Justification by faith is one of the most life-changing doctrines found in the Bible, with profound impacts both for eternity and our daily lives. Through Christ's work, we receive three essential benefits: peace with God, access to His grace, and the hope of sharing in His glory.

• Peace with God means complete eradication of hostility between us and God, not just a feeling of peace
• Access to grace provides us a favorable position to develop a personal relationship with God
• Christian hope isn't wishful thinking but certainty about future glory with God
• Justification means being declared righteous in God's sight despite our failures
• Jesus willingly sacrificed himself even for those who actively reject Him
• The Holy Spirit testifies to believers that they are children of God
• Through justification, we find freedom from our past and can experience intimacy with God

For those willing to be justified by faith, we can know with certainty that we will share in God's glory for all eternity.

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This conversation with Rick Cadena, a combat veteran whose journey of faith began in the jungles of Korea and Central America, brings the spiritual landscape of warfare, trauma, and redemption to life. Though he never anticipated that his four years of military service would permanently alter his life's trajectory, Rick's candid testimony reveals how unexpected light can penetrate even in our darkest moments.

As a young radio operator in a Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol team, Rick faced perilous conditions from Korea's DMZ to the guerrilla conflicts of El Salvador. His vivid recollections of combat—the whistling bullets, the mortar explosions, and most poignantly, his spontaneous cries to Jesus despite having no religious background—create a powerful backdrop for understanding his later transformation. "I didn't know anything about Jesus," Rick confesses, "I was just scared, man."

The physical and psychological aftermath of combat would haunt Rick for decades. After being medevaced following a traumatic explosion, he struggled with undiagnosed brain injury, chronic pain, and PTSD that the VA initially refused to acknowledge. His descent into substance abuse and anger represented a soul in crisis, searching for meaning and relief. "I was empty, Mike," he explains, comparing himself to an empty whiskey bottle needing to be filled.

The turning point came through unexpected encounters with faith communities, particularly at his church, where Rick found not only spiritual guidance but brotherhood in recovery groups for former addicts. His discovery of passion for playing conga drums in worship offered a new channel for expression and healing—a stark contrast to his earlier life of isolation and anger.

Most recently, while facing potential leg amputation following complications from a broken ankle, Rick experienced what he describes as divine intervention in his hospital room—curtains moving inexplicably and a gentle sensation flowing through his body that renewed his commitment to serve God regardless of physical limitation. "I can serve you with one leg. I can serve you with no legs," became his transformative prayer.

This conversation transcends a typical veteran's story, offering profound insights into how suffering, when met with faith and community, can forge resilience and purpose even from the most traumatic experiences. Rick's journey reminds us that healing rarely follows a straight path but often winds through unexpected terrain where grace appears in surprising forms.