Manipulation or God's plan?

Read a devotional today about the skills that I have which could be used to manipulate, so that good things can result. It taught that with the skills I have, I can easily do things my way, so that I can reap the benefits. What if, these skills were used separate from God's will? Then won't I miss out on the opportunity to learn a lesson God intended for me in the process or journey? I might even miss out on a chance to see God's glory, power and hand in my life. 

If I knew what I was pursuing was God's will, then my actions would be smart, otherwise it would be manipulation. The devotional's advice for such a situation was to back off, and wait. Wait for God to speak, to move, to fight for me. Let Him show that it could only come from Him and not by my own strength. 

It's like serving in worship. I can try SO hard to practice and keep singing a song over and over again, trying to make it sound good, but when I could just surrender it to God, and not worry about how I sound, when I sing, I worship and to me it sounds better because it came from the heart.