"Courage Is Not the Absence of Fear, But the Mastery of It"

I wanted to draw attention to this quote for a simple reason: It's really just a special case of a more general principle.

"Virtue is not the absence of temptation, but the mastery of it."

It is true that we can sometimes act in ways which bring temptation on ourselves, and that can be a matter of foolishness or wickedness, but a great many temptations come regardless of individual action. Indeed, many temptations grow out of desires which are, of themselves good.

As evidence, sexual sin is quite severe. However, we are told that attraction, even sexual attraction, is a desire which is God-given for a purpose which is essential to His plan. Sex and the desire for sex are, of themselves, good things, and part of the reason that sexual sin is so severe is that it profanes a thing which is so sacred. So it is good and right, but only at the right time, in the right way. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once taught, 'When faced with that inherent appetite, a disciple of Christ must be willing to say, "Yes, but not this way."' (The Inconvenient Messiah)

So temptation cannot be taken as proof that a person is bad. Indeed, the ultimate example of virtue, Jesus Christ, "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). Let us be like Him. So I say again,

"Virtue is not the absence of temptation, but the mastery of it."

Title: Usually attributed to Mark Twain, though there seems to be some doubt on the subject