are you a squeezer?

A few years ago, a good preacher friend of ours, Bro. Dana Williams, from Alabama, was at a Bible conference. We went to it one of the days. He preached a sermon I will never forget. I hope he won't mind me sharing the jest of it here. I have had it on my mind, so I will share my thoughts.
       He preached on what kind of hands we have. There are lots of hands we can have in  our life. But the one that has been on my heart since that time two years ago is the squeezing hands. Do we have squeezing hands? Jacob, in the Bible, was born a squeezer. He was squeezing his brothers heel as they were born from the womb! As he grew, he tried to control the family birthright by taking advantage of his brothers hunger. Jacob and his mother grabbed onto the family blessing and forced himself into that role by tricking his dying father. And then one day, an angel came and wrestled with Jacob. They wrestled all night long in fact. Jacobs squeezing hands couldn't let go of the Lords angel. Finally the angel said to let him go. Jacobs squeezing hands held a little longer. Then at that moment Jacobs life changed. The Lord charged him to become a different man. To leave his squeezing hands behind and let God lead for once. God even changed his name to Israel because the moment was monumental. No more do you read of a trickster and schemer. The squeezing hands were relaxed into faithful hands. Israel no longer lived for self. He gave His life to the all powerful hands.
So my thoughts go to this every now and then. Am I a squeezer? Do I push for my way no matter what? When I want something, do I push for it no matter how many obstacles are in my way? Ignoring that still small voice,  and blindly bashing forward into things, without ever consulting the Lord? Do I decide in my heart the way something will go and squeeze until I get it right, just to see it crumble?
I pray that I won't have squeezing hands. May the Lord help me to have open hands, waiting for His Word. Waiting on Him to guide and work things out. Waiting to hear when I should proceed, and when I should wait. May God teach us to wait on Him. May He teach us not to try to control all situations.
Recently, with our women's conference at church, God taught me a great lesson. Not to be a squeezer. But to listen to Him, and realize that when I obey Him, it isn't for me to control everything. I am just to do what He told me to do, and then let Him work. It was so freeing to relax my hands and allow God to control the conference. He worked mightily. When disruption or disappointment came, there was no need for me to get upset. Because it was His thing, and He could have it however He wanted it. It wasn't for me to control. And guess what! The Lord was honored mightily. Praise the Lord! Heis so good to us.
So the next time something comes up that you want to "squeeze", relax and let God show you a better way. Let me know how it works out!!!