Lavan said to Yaakov (31:29) לַעֲשׂוֹת יָדִי לְאֵל ׁיֶש רָע עִמָּכֶם, "I have the power to inflict harm upon you..." He believed that he had the power to do as he wanted. There was only one problem, as he said to Yaakov, אֲבִיכֶם וֵאלקֵי רָע עַד מִט ּוֹב יַע ֲקֹב עִם מ ִדַּבֵּר ָלְך ָּׁמֶרהִש לֵאמֹר אֵלַי אָמַר ׁאֶמֶש, "The G-d of your father spoke to me last night, saying, 'Beware of speaking with Yaakov either good or bad."
It seems that he contradicted himself with his words. Why did he say לַעֲשׂוֹת יָדִי לְאֵל ׁיֶש רָע עִמָּכֶם, "I have the power to inflict harm upon you..." Didn’t he just see that he can't do anything without Hashem?
Also, in the Haggadah Shel Pesach, we say הכל את לעקור בקש, that Lavan wanted to uproot and destroy Yaakov, and his entire family. He had this plan when he came to Yaakov and his family the morning after he had his dream. Why was he still planning to destroy Yaakov? Why did he still think ׁיֶש רָע עִמָּכֶם לַעֲש ׂוֹת יָדִי לְאֵל, "I have the power to inflict harm upon you..."? Didn't he see that he can't do anything without Hashem's decree and permission?
Apparently, he thought that it was a coincidence that he had this dream and this warning from Hashem on the night before he was going to harm Yaakov. Lavan thought, "If I had had this dream a night later, I wouldn't have this problem. I would be able to do whatever I want." Because he still believed he had the power to do whatever he wanted, just this time, Hashem stopped him. He didn't realize that this hashgachah pratis meant that he is always under Hashem's control, and he has no strength at all.
Lavan never had such a dream before, Hashem never came to speak with him before, and he had the dream on a crucial night. But he didn't put two and two together. He failed to realize that he had no power at all, and he can't do anything without Hashem.
We must be cautious not to be like Lavan. Many times, we are shown that Hashem is in control of our lives, and then we forget, and we think יָדִי לְאֵל ׁיֶש, that we have the ability to do things on our own.
