Worried vs Concerned
Do you know the difference between WORRY and CONCERN? Understanding the fundamental difference between the two can immediately alleviate worry & release you from the stress that it can cause.
The difference between worried and concerned
Worried – Anxious about potential problems.
- Worried means you’re scripting or obsessing about the future.
- Worried makes you think you can control things you can’t control.
- Worried makes you feel like you should fix everything yet can’t influence the end result.
- Worried puts pressure on you to have all the answers & to fix everything.
Concerned – A matter of interest or importance to you
- Concerned means you care.
- Concern means you’ll pray.
- Concern means you’ll be empathetic and say I’m sorry you’re going through this.
- Concern means they come up in your mind & you’ll reach out to say you’re thinking of them.
- Concern means you bring it to the feet of God, give it to him and trust that he will take care of it.
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Loved this. Good lessons in there ?
What a glorious breakdown of these two words. We are so quick to forget that God is in control and he really does have the ultimate plan and story scripted for each of our lives. I always have been reminded also that when you worry about a person, you almost don’t trust their judgment of their lives vice versa of those who worry about us. I feel like as my relationship with our creator has grown in the last year, I have become more empathetic and less of a worrier. I read in the Bible he even has each of our hairs on our head numbered. That to me is someone that cares about us and is in control of our outcomes.
Thanks, Kathrine, beautiful training today. Wow, I can relate to WORRY, I think it comes naturally as a momma, but I love the difference between worry and concern. Worry lacks faith but caring is acknowledging God is in control and He cares! Love it!
The clarity around the difference between these two is a real a-ha for me. I thought worry and concern were one in the same. Ready to release the worry. “Worry steals our moments from a future that may never happen; Care connects us to people and makes a better community.” Thank you, Kathrine!
were… I want to hear what you were going to say next ? ??
Outstanding insights Kathrine. I want to share this with my Mom. ? This is so clear and concise. I love how relatable you are and how you are showing us an easier way. One of my spiritual giants who has gone on to glory always said to me “Make it hard on God and easy on you.”
I love that saying.?
Great training. My husband always tells me I worry to much. I am going to work on being a concerned person and try not to worry so much. I do pray but I will bring it to the feet of God, give it to him and trust that he will take care of it.
Patricia, I totally understand. It took a while for me to really get this. More and more I live in the freedom of no worry. Did you see Jennifer’s comment? I loved the quote she posted from Kay Arthur, “God is in control and therefore in everything I can give thanks – not because of the situation but because of the One who directs and rules over it.” ?
As I sat in my prayer chair this morning, I listened to the Worry vs. Concern training. It was so timely for me and such a great reminder that God is in control. There is so much we can choose to focus on in this life and how we frame our thinking is so important. It also brought to mind my favorite quote.
“God is in control and therefore in everything I can give thanks – not because of the situation but because of the One who directs and rules over it.” Kay Arthur
Thanks, Kathrine, for being such a blessing in my life!
Oh love that quote! Thank you!
Love that quote from Kay Arthur! Thanks for sharing it. 🙂
Thank you. I tend to worry and when it gets out of hand I shit down and isolate. I love this reminder. I can be concerned for my children, and let go of the all consuming worry that ends up being a feeling closer to clear.
I needed to hear this. You are so inspiring!
Thank you so much. So glad it was what you needed.?
Love this!! In a moment yesterday, reminded my friend and myself to stop… worship…pray!
So good!
Leave the outcome to God! I need reminded of this so often!
Wow! That description of worry as scripting the future is a very helpful distinction!
I’m so glad it was helpful, Brenda?
Love this! I really needed to hear this message. This inspires me to rid the “worry” and take the pressure off “to fix it”! And to switch my mindset to Care, Listen & Prayer!! With children in high school and college I need to repeatedly hear this message. I know if I can remind myself of this it will be very beneficial to my responses and relieve some stress:) Thank you Kathrine!
Oh it makes me so happy that it helped you especially as a mama! I get it!?
Your clarity makes it easier to begin to understand my reactions. I do try and leave each day behind and lived. It doesn’t matter if it rained yesterday, what matters is if it is raining today. Sometimes I feel I do not feel when I do not react. I know I care, but now I know there is an explanation for my response whether outward or inward. Time to be more aware of my worries and concerns. Kathrine you continue to alter my brain!
Oh thank you, Joan. YOU are altering you’re brain bc you’re showing up, responding and practicing the process.?
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. It really came a perfect time for our family dealing with a big decision.
Priscilla, oh I love when the timing of a message fits a specific situation. Praying for you as you navigate the big decision you’re facing.?
The moment I read the word “worried” I am taken back to remember Elsa and her full of life joyful face as she shared her personal story of how she stopped worrying. That being the 1st time I had ever put my worries away and understood the meaning of real trust with god. Now old habits die hard and honestly I have been falling more and more into worries and shame with “you SHOULD Be ______ ” fill in the blank. This article comes at a perfect time to remind me to trust in god and lean his word- Casting all your worries on Him because he cares for you- and a great realization I never stopped worrying for others. Now I can put into practice both, being Concerned for my self and for others NOT worried.
Yes! Elsa taught me this principle. I’m sharing her airplane analogy this month as well. We will honor and keep her legacy alive!?
You, Her and the ranch has not only touched my life but honestly realigned my heart and soul, guiding me right back onto gods path.
Now to my bed lol I am up much to late but this quiet time to reflect and concentrate has been a wonderful treat.
This makes my day. 🙂
So good! I’m also a recovering co-dependent/worry-a-holic! This year (2021) has been a very difficult one for my family. The people closest to me are going through really hard issues. My son, especially, going through a divorce he didn’t want, grieving the loss of his family, working full-time from home in a studio apartment with a 3 1/2 year-old special needs son and an abusive ex with mental illness who continues to strike out and gaslight. My son has been prone to severe depression and anxiety at different times in his life with suicidal thoughts. This situation in the past, would eat me up and evoke intense fear and worry. It still hurts to see him struggling, and I help with babysitting, encouragement, prayer, but the peace I have that God is causing all of this to work out for his good is so very real and a huge difference from how I used to respond. That said, if anyone thinks about it, I wouldn’t mind your voices joining me in prayer for my son, Chris and his son, Onyx.
Well you can count on me to pray for Chris and Onyx (what a cool name). I’m so sorry your family has been through so much. This is why community is so important. We can carry each other’s burdens. I find when I have people around me that I can talk it through with or ask them to pray that also sets worry aside. It doesn’t change my concern because I will always be concerned for those that I love that are having a hard time but it does shift me out of worry which I can’t do anything about into community. Helps a lot! So glad you allowed us to honor to be part of your community in prayer.
I am praying for your son and grand son. I hope Joy finds them. I understand a toxic X and child in the middle, I pray joy and forgiveness finds him so he can be released from the past and her so he can fully live in Joy.
Oh, and by the way…putting this out there feels pretty vulnerable…hope it’s not inappropriate sharing this much personal info.
Not at all, it is hard to be Vulnerable but I hope that this community will always be a place where we can share so that we can get authentic prayer, connection and often solutions from each other.
We have a small church that has a billboard sign you can see from the expressway, it reads every now and again.
“Worry is a burden God did not intend us to bare.” I tend to fall into the category of worrier and fixer and love worry steals our current moments from a future that will never happen. How scary is that!! I did a training that we were told overwhelm is an emotion we choose to have, which is what worry is given me the same picture. Its a choice… Thank you!
After watching your video, I realized I had been worrying about something that was only weighing me down.
Love the wisdom that concern is truly caring.
Letting go of the worry can also help us let go of the pain the situation may put us in. I’m finding prayer is my weapon to bring me back in God’s Peace. Thank you for this much needed reminder, Katherine!
Clare, that is so true.?
WOW!! I needed to hear this today. “worry steals moments of a future that may never happen” That is so powerful. I need to appreciate this moment right now. Thank you Kathrine xo
Yes, bring it to the feet of God and trust him no matter the outcome!! Trusting that he cares about the situation more than I do and he is already at work. Thank you!!
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Katherine,You are a blessing in my life and so many others…. Thank you for reminding me that Prayer and Trust will give me the peace I need to live an Abundant Life. HE graciously put you and our amazing community in my life. I’m so grateful.. How do I resist making copies for all my family that needs to look at their Worries!
I had thought to of people that may benefit from seeing the difference. It’s so good!!
Should brings Shame and doesn’t bring any tools to change the game!
Kaboom!!!
I love that you gave us the difference and how profound it is. I don’t feel like I am a big worrier, but I can see by what you have here there is more worry in my life than needs to be! Thanks so much for this!
“Worry steals moments of a future that may never happen” is so simple yet profound!
I love that… and time is our greatest commodity! I don’t consider myself a worrier, but I have a few people who need to here that quote. Personally,
I have been working hard to “let go, and let God”… I tend to like to be in control.
I also fall into the “should” game with myself which can lead to feelings of not being enough. “Should brings shame and doesn’t bring any tools to change the game! Amen!
Worry steals our current moments from a future that may never happen! Mic drop!! The more I have tried to be in control of my life, the more often I have worried. I love that I can be concerned, but leave the future to God! I read yesterday that the enemy gets us to focus on the past or the future, but God wants us to focus on the present.