Worry Versus Concern

Continued from "Worry as a way of life":
Don't misunderstand. When Jesus told us not to worry, he wasn't asking us to live in denial, a sugarcoated fairy tale. He wasn't telling us there's nothing to be concerned about. Bad things do happen to good people-and not-so-good people as well. Real problems do occur, usually on a daily basis. Jesus knew this better than anybody. He spent most of his life being harassed and pursued by his enemies. So why did he tell us not to worry? Jesus knew that a life filled with fear has little room left for faith. And without faith, we can neither please God nor draw close to him for the comfort and guidance we need to face the cares and affairs of everyday life. Concern draws us to God. Worry pulls us from him. We face legitimate concerns every day of our lives. But instead of fretting, instead o worrying, we need to focus on discerning what we can do (with God's help) and what should be left entirely up to God. Even more important, we need to keep our focus on who God is and what God can do. Jesus warned us, "In this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33). Catch that! He said, "you will," not "you might." Troubles come with this earthly territory. "But take heart!" Jesus says. "I have overcome the world." That's the reason we can leave our worry behind-not because there's nothing to be concerned about, but because we have Someone who can handle them a lot better than we can.