Just because you can, doesn't mean you should...

So last year about November the Lord starting showing me something in my life. He gave me this saying, "just because you can, doesn't mean you should". I thought, jeez what does He mean? Slowly He started unfolding this to me and by the end of it all, I was undone.
This is such a multi layered saying that it took awhile to wrap my head around it, but finally I have the head knowledge about it, now I just need to implement it into my life. It seems like I do implement it, and then oops I am back doing the same thing. Your probably wondering what "that" is.
I had many irons in the fire so to speak. I was giving alot of kids a carpool, my niece was living with us, my mothers health wasn't well, PTF, school volunteering, church volunteering, a consulting job on the side,working part time, the kids activities, my dogs exercise....well you get the picture. Some of these things are just part of life, but others were ones that I took on myself. The Lord also asked me, "why are you doing all that your doing?" I went through each item of activity on my list and asked myself, "why am I doing this?" At the end of it, about half of them were, because I know how to do it, it will help out other people and it brings some self worth to me. The Lord said,"but aren't I suppose to bring about your completeness", "shouldn't you ask Me, if I want you to take that on, after all I am the Jehova Jireh (the provider, YOUR provider)and wouldn't I know if you are able to take that on". I was a bit confused. I thought that if we are Christians then shouldn't we offer our help in every way. Then someone said to me, you know, if the Lord isn't telling you to step in and help and you do anyway, you may be stealing the blessing from someone else. I had never thought of it that way. I knew eventually what the Lord was getting to. Impart it was my relationship with Him, but also something in my past that was a wound, and that I somehow came into agreement with the idea that what I did was who I am.
At the end of it all and at the end of the day, I knew what my inner most motivation was. All those things and being needed by people fed me, my pride, made me feel like a good mom and gave me self worth. Yuk! All that fulfilled me for a little bit, but there was always something or someone that "let me down" or "not working out" and in turn, destroyed the self worth I was getting.
After wrestling with myself and the Lord, I realized that those things and people were fleeting but the Lord was where my identity was. That I was the one who Christ died for. I was called a child of God, a queen to the King. He will never leave us, nor forsake us.
I say all this, not to condemn people for helping others or helping where needed. The Lord does call us to help and gives us gifts to use to help others and bring about glory to Him. I think the questions that we need to ask ourselves are this: Is the Lord wanting me to do this, what is my heart motivation in it, am I doing this for accolades for myself or because I am joyful to do that which the Lord has asked me to do? It also brings to light, if my time is being consumed by other things, harmless as they may be, am I missing a great opportunity to partner in something the Lord wants me to?
Doing things anonymously is a great way to keep pride in check. Filling the gas tank for your spouse without telling them, sending money anonymously to someone you know needs it, giving to charities without letting them know who it came from...the deeds are endless.

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
"so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:16&18

Just a thought....