Forces of evil abound in this world. What else could motivate someone to randomly kill innocent men, women, and children by blowing himself up with a bomb? Most human beings can easily recognize the evil of a suicide bombing, even when it is cloaked with the smoke screen of a “religious” or political cause.

We easily discern the working of evil forces in the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors of others. But as human beings we often fail to see the working of forces of evil within our own thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors.

During the past 5 years I have interviewed about 1200 men who habitually abuse alcohol and use drugs. As these guys tell me their stories of destruction, I am always amazed at how much evil their behavior has caused — lies and deception; broken hearts of loved ones; drunk driving injuries and deaths; stealing from friends, employers, and even close family members; the sexual disrespect of women; fraud and hypocrisy; various crimes committed; random acts of violence; the abandonment and/or abuse of their children; and on and on.

After hearing their stories of the misery that they have personally caused, I ask them this question: “So, what kind of person are you?” Almost all of them answer: “I am a good person.”

Like most human beings, the men I work with refuse to admit and acknowledge the evil of their own hearts and minds. However, we can never win a long-term victory over the forces of evil in the world until we begin to recognize and defeat those forces of evil that are working in our own thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors.

“Even if we transport all bombs to the moon, the roots of war and the roots of bombs are still here, in our hearts and minds, and sooner or later we will make more bombs. To work for peace is to uproot war from ourselves and from the hearts of men and women.” –Thich Nhat Hanh

It takes much courage to recognize, face, admit, and strive to overcome the evil within ourselves. We are so inclined to justify ourselves. However, one man who faced the evil within his own heart and spent his life trying to overcome it was Paul of Tarsus, who wrote much of the New Testament. He never claimed to be a good person. Instead Paul said: “O wretched man that I am.”