“Concern” means to “have an interest in, give attention to, be engaged by a situation, as a matter of consideration or responsibility.” “Worry” is a disquieted uneasiness of mind, an anxious apprehension concerning an impending or anticipated situation; fretting about a foreboding misfortune or failure (“worried” and “anxious” are used as synonyms)… “Concern” becomes “worry” when we fail to relate the situation that confronts us to the source of sufficiency in God.
Godly concern is caring about important things for the right reasons. It is also accompanied by a trust in God’s ultimate control and faithfulness. This kind of concern helps you be responsible to God and does not send you into a confused status. It will involve a focus on the responsibilities for today, eternal goals and others… For your concern to be the right kind of concern you must be focused on what is true and helpful from God’s perspective (see 1 Cor. 7:32-33; 2 Cor. 11:28; Phil. 2:20)… [However], ungodly concern (anxiety) goes beyond reasonable concern and involves worry about mere possibilities. When we are anxious, we are not focused on God and what is true and helpful. When we are anxious, we are often concerned that something we want to happen may not happen. Therefore, we are focused on difficulties of the future, temporal matters, and self (see Mt. 6:31-32).
True peace does not demand a denial of our emotions and concerns. What is the difference between godly concern and sinful anxiety? Actually the same Greek word is used for both, and it is only the context that reveals the difference. The difference can be seen in these mathematical formulas: Concern + unbelief = anxiety; Concern + faith = a biblical virtue (1 Corinthians 7:32, 33, 12:25; 2 Corinthians 11:28).
A Journey to Victorious Praying, Moody Publishers, 2003, p. 180.
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