Worry vs. Concern
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day. "
-Matthew 6:34 (Revised Standard Version)
Does this mean we should not concern ourselves with material things? Not at all. As anyone can clearly see in today’s world, if we don’t have a job, pay our bills, etc., things will compound to the point of unmanageability. We must be concerned with taking care of the material needs thrust upon us. However, we should not "worry’ about them.
What is the difference, you ask. Many people have a problem separating the two concepts. Concern means taking care of business; worry is taking concern to excessive proportions that are unnecessary and harmful to us. Worry can cause undue stress resulting in physical and emotional damage.
Concern: relate to, affect, have to do with, matter, be important, make a difference, be relevant, count
Worry: anxiety, apprehension, fear, alarm, distress, agonize, lose sleep, torture yourself, suffer
When things look darkest and most impossible, that is when our faith takes over. We must trust that the Deity knows what S/He is doing and will provide our needs (not our wants) in due course (not always in the timely manner that we would wish, but always as our need determines).
"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." - Matthew 6:25-34 (KJV)
" And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." – Luke 12:22-31 (KJV)
