What is the difference between worry and concern?
Paul writes in Philippians 4:6 to be careful for nothing, which means worry about nothing. Concern, however, is permitted; the two are not the same. Worry is anxious fretting that God forbids, while concern is a legitimate burden that is not necessarily worry and can be brought to God in prayer.
Les explains that in Philippians 4:6 Paul tells believers, “be careful for nothing.” The Greek word behind “careful” really means be anxious, or more plainly, worry about nothing. He stresses that there is a big difference between worrying and having concern: everyone has concerns, but that is not necessarily worry. Believers should be able to differentiate the two. To sit and be a worrywart, God forbids; the cliché “why worry when you can pray?” is true, and God does not want us to worry. Yet that does not mean believers have no concerns. Instead of worrying, they are to look to “in everything,” and everything means everything—nothing is canceled out.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.