Have you ever wondered what the difference is between these two words above? I have, and sometimes, to be honest, I am not quite sure of which one it is I am experiencing at any given time. It’s only in recent times that I have begun to pay attention to my thoughts and feelings in this area.
I have noticed that when I am faced with an issue or problem at work, I tend to use the word concern rather than worry. For example, I would say to my boss or my team, “I am concerned about a particular issue or that we are not meeting our KPIs” However, whenever I am facing a personal problem or issue relating to myself or my loved ones, I am inclined to worry. Whether that is because of the proximity of the problem, I am not too sure. Or maybe it is to do with the fact that one can always leave a job if it becomes too much of a problem, but one can not run from one’s problems or family.
So what is the difference between concern and worry? Concern is a noun, and it has to do with when you understand and recognise there is a problem. To be concerned about something is to care about whether something of great importance will go well or not. To be concerned is also to have a positive mindset that focuses on the potential problem to be solved. Concern is usually well informed by facts and information and motivated towards the resolution of an issue. It is also always accompanied by a sense of level-headedness. Finally, concern is more grounded in reality rather than something that is made up.
Worry, on the other hand, disturbs our peace of mind. It is an uneasy feeling of anxiety, trouble, or distress. Worry, especially when it’s constant, isn’t always grounded in reality. It is rooted in fear of the unknown and beneath that feeling, is a need for control.
When we worry incessantly, we put our minds in a negative emotional state that results in going round a problem in hopeless circles or creating one if none is present. Although a form of concern, worry drains the energy in us and causes stress due to the focus it gives to assumptions and things that are not immediate. It causes us to ruminate over the same thing, without the drive and strength to find a solution. The problem with worrying is that if not managed and controlled, it can lead to severe physical and psychological effects. Worry has to do with the torment of self and disturbing thoughts.
While concern is solution-oriented, worry is problem-oriented, and while our reaction when we are concerned is driven by love, responsibility and insight, we react out of fear and anxiety when we are worried.
Why is it essential for us to distinguish which of the two is happening to us and whether what we are feeling is worry or concern. We need this knowledge because worry can quickly escalate from something minor to becoming negative automatic thoughts, which can lead to severe anxiety.
When you don’t have control over something, the best thing to do is to try and stay calm – as worrying is only likely to make things worse.
Way before Psychology or Psychotherapy formed its approaches; the bible helps us to understand what we need to do with both our worries and concerns.
Philippians 4: 6-7 (The Message Translation)
Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s incredible what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
According to research conducted by a company by the name Forth, over 85% of UK adults are experiencing stress regularly. This stress is often preceded by worrying. There’s another article which states that Britain is a nation of worriers, as over 86% of the populace are stressed due to work or smartphones.
A whopping 86 per cent of adults consider themselves to be a worrier, with everyday stresses from work to family weighing massively on our minds.
Research by MarieClaire
In light of these statistics, as you go into this week, consider those things that cause you concern, be it at work, home or otherwise and those things that cause you to worry. Think of replacing those worries with praises and petitions according to the above verse. When you do that, you are turning your worries into concerns, restoring a sense of calm and health to your state of mind. Besides, you can’t control everything and everyone and therefore relinquish the need to be in control of everything.
Allow God to take charge and see how the peace of God that transcends the understanding of man will take over your mind. God also promises to cause all things to work together for His glory and for our good.
Don’t worry about being concerned, but be concerned about worrying. I say this because worry, if not checked, will rob you of your joy, health and steal today from you. But by prayer, thanksgiving, and doing what you can to find a solution, let your requests be made known to God.