When you see someone trapped under a massive stone, in great distress, what would you do? Surely, you would seek immediate help to rescue the person. But what if you discovered that the person had deliberately placed himself under that stone? Would your response change?

Now, imagine someone getting involved in questionable affairs, only to find himself “under a stone” (Akan: Obuasi).

In such moments of shame and suffering at Obuasi, people sometimes console themselves with the saying, “All things happen for good.” But hold on! Does Romans 8:28 apply to every situation?

Consider carefully this often-misquoted verse:

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who LOVE God, to those who are the CALLED according to His PURPOSE” (emphasis mine).

Indeed, not all suffering is bad. Sometimes, "bad is better" (His Praise Chorale, 2026). However, Romans 8:28 is not a blanket promise that every consequence of our wrongdoing will somehow work to our advantage. Paul speaks of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

Consider Stephen, James, Peter, Paul, Antipas, and other Christians who suffered because of their faithfulness to God. Their suffering arose from their commitment to Christ, not from deliberate wrongdoing. They could find comfort in God's promise to work all things together for good.

We must therefore distinguish between suffering for righteousness and suffering resulting from our own choices (1 Pet. 4:12-16). We should also be careful not to assume that every person who suffers is guilty; allegations must be established before judgement is passed.

Sometimes, however, Obuasi is not the only problem. There may be powerful hands ready to lift someone out of Obuasi simply because of who they are. Yet, human influence cannot change what is right or wrong before God.

When we deliberately place ourselves in Obuasi, we should not expect to call the consequences a blessing. And even if human hands rescue us from Obuasi, there remains a Judge whose judgement cannot be influenced by anyone.

Yet, this Judge is also merciful. No matter how deeply we have fallen into sin, God offers us forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We cannot escape His judgement through human connections, but we can be reconciled to Him through the blood of Christ:

✔️ Believe in Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:9–10).
✔️ Repent of your sins (Acts 2:38).
✔️ Confess Him as Lord (Rom. 10:9–10).
✔️ Be baptised for the forgiveness of your sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).
✔️ Be added by the Lord to His church (Acts 2:47).
✔️ And continue to walk faithfully in the new life He gives (Rom. 6:4; Rev. 2:10).

Enjoy the grace of God.
Amen.