June 2, 2025 • 11 mins
Are you forcing your way through life—or faithing it forward? In this powerful episode of It’s a Single Mom Thing, host Sherry gets real about the difference between control and contentment, forcing and trusting, and why faith—not force—is the key to breakthrough.
With real-life examples from Abraham, Hannah, Mary, and Joseph, this episode unpacks what it means to let go of fear, embrace faith, and walk through the doors God opens—without kicking them down. If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to make things happen in your own strength, this episode will remind you that God doesn’t call you to force it—He invites you to faith it.
Whether you're wrestling with timing, control, or trusting God's plan for your kids and your future, this episode is your wake-up call to faith over force, sis. Your faith is planting seeds that go beyond your season—it's legacy work.
📖 Featuring Scripture encouragement, practical tools, and breath prayers
📞 Need prayer? Call 855-822-PRAY – we’re here for you, 24/7.
It's a Single Mom Thing, Not the Single Thing That Stops You!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to it's a Single Mom Thing, the show for
single moms by single moms.
This is Sherri, your host, andI am happy you are here today.
Remember it's a single momthing and not the single thing
that stops you.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Welcome back to another episodeof it's a Single Mom Thing,
where we walk and talk real life, fierce faith and that
unconditional, unbreakable,unapologetic love for our kids
and even ourselves.
I'm your host, sherri, andtoday we're going to have a
little devotional talk.
We're going to do it a littlebit shorter than normal and
we're going to talk aboutsomething that might just pinch
(00:38):
a little but has the power, oohgirl, to free you big time.
So I'm going to start our timeoff together with a little
question.
So let me ask you this have youever tried to force something
to work your way, your timeline,your outcome only to end up
more frustrated and exhausted,Same?
(00:59):
So today's episode, devotionalthought I am calling it faith
over force, why forcing it isn'tfaith in it, sis.
So we're going to talk aboutwhat happens when we yes, you
and me try to control theuncontrollable, what it really
means to live by faith, and howtrusting God isn't about giving
(01:19):
up but giving it over, becausesometimes listen, sometimes I
have found the biggest leap offaith is letting go, forcing
versus faithing.
So let's start our timetogether here.
So think about this what is thedifference between forcing your
way and faithing your way.
Have you ever thought aboutthat?
(01:40):
And, to be honest with you,this is something the Lord has
just put on my heart and this issomething that I am thinking
much about.
So forcing, this is what I havefound.
Forcing is rooted in fear,whereas faithing it is rooted in
trust.
Forcing is like pushing andtrying to pry a locked door open
with your shoulder until yoursoul is bruised and your nails
(02:01):
yeah, the ones you just got donethey are all broken.
And your nails yeah, the onesyou just got done, they are all
broken, whereas faithingfaithing is waiting on the door.
God, listen, god will open foryou and then walking through it,
even if you don't know what'son the other side.
Now we this listen, includes meforce things when we don't
(02:21):
believe he'll come through.
You know, I'm right.
So maybe you forced, let's say,a relationship, how about a job
, or a conversation, or even adecision, because you were tired
of waiting.
Maybe you texted when youshould have prayed.
Maybe you settled when youshould have trusted.
(02:42):
I get it, listen, we all dothis, but I wonder sometimes, I
just wonder how freeing, howfreeing would it be if we didn't
?
You know, girl, just as I do.
God is not slow, he isstrategic, though If he hasn't
opened the door, my guess isit's either not the right one or
not the right time.
(03:03):
You see, we need, I tend towonder sometimes.
I think we need to let the Lordbe the locksmith to opening the
doors of opportunity that hehas prepared for us.
Mic drop Control versuscontentment.
Okay, moving on.
We're going to talk aboutcontrol, and that word Sometimes
I don't know about you.
Do you find that it makes youclench your fists when you think
(03:25):
of the word control?
You see, control, it isslippery and it is sneaky.
It wears disguises and it likesto masquerade around as
perfectionism, people pleasingover planning and even over
functioning, over-functioning.
(03:48):
But what's really underneaththat?
It is hiding much like thebottom of an iceberg that is
submerged way deep beneath thesurface is fear.
Well, fear of what?
Fear of being hurt again, fearof being left?
How about fear of not havingenough?
Or fear of failing again?
And fear will always lie to you.
It is deceitful, and that's why, in God's word, it says it
(04:10):
several different ways Fear not,don't be afraid, or do not fear
, over and over again inscripture, because, listen, fear
distracts, it misleads and itdisconnects us from faith.
But when fear fades, somethingpowerful rises in its place
Contentment.
And here's the thing aboutcontentment that sometimes I
(04:33):
think we get wrong.
Contentment, it isn't passive,on the opposite, on thement.
It isn't passive On theopposite, on the contrary, it is
powerful.
It is saying God, I trust you.
With what I don't understand, Ichoose peace in the process.
Philippians 4.11 says it thisway from Brother Paul, I've
learned to be content, whateverthe circumstances.
(04:56):
Ladies, that means even here,even in your now, even ooh, this
is a good one even in your notyet.
It's saying I don't know theway, but I know the one who does
Contentment I have found,doesn't give up.
It gives in to his plans andnot your past hurts.
(05:17):
So here we're going to move onto faith that echoes through
generations.
So let's talk about some bigfaith moves that didn't just
impact the moment.
They shifted generations andthey came by the way of four
faith warriors.
Number one Abraham.
He followed without knowingwhere, and because he followed,
(05:40):
generations were blessed.
His obedience became the originstory of God's covenant people.
Number two Hannah Waitedwithout knowing when, and
through her prayers Samuel wasborn, a prophet who changed
history.
Number three Mary believedwithout knowing how, and she
(06:04):
birthed the Messiah, foreverchanging the world, and Jesus
changing our eternity.
And number four, joseph,trusted without knowing why,
without knowing why, and throughbetrayal, prison and pain, he
rose to power to save his familyand the nations.
Can God say that same thingabout us?
(06:25):
You see, their faith didn'tjust change their lives, it
changed the world and the worldas we know it.
They were, let's say, eternalpivots as we know it.
They were, let's say, eternalpivots, faithful choices that
echoed into the future.
And believe it or not, sis,yours can too.
You see, your faith isn't justfor you, it's for your kids, for
(07:00):
their kids, for someonewatching you who needs to
believe.
It's possible.
That whisper prayer, that hardchoice, that decision to keep
showing up, it matters Nowlisten.
Your trust in God, even whenyou don't know the where, the
when, the how and the why, isshaping tomorrow.
It's healing family patterns.
It's redirecting legacies, it'splanting seeds that your
great-grandchildren may one dayharvest.
(07:22):
So don't you dare underestimateyour everyday faith.
That quiet decision to pray, tostay, to walk away, to speak
life instead of giving up,that's a faith move, sister, and
someone else's future dependson it.
The cost of forcing it.
So let's get real here.
(07:43):
There is a cost that we pay forwhen we try to force it.
When we force things, what dowe do?
Well, we wear ourselves out.
We damage relationships Beenthere.
We actually delay blessings,like if you're dating someone
who doesn't walk with God, justto escape the feeling of
loneliness that man, that man,just might be standing in the
(08:07):
way of God's real blessing.
And let me go as far as to saysomething even bolder In God's
relationship, he doesn't forceyou, he invites you.
He gave you a choice to followhim, love him and trust him,
unlike some of the relationshipswe allow to force us.
So why are we out here forcingeverything and then calling it
(08:28):
faith?
Ooh, that stings, doesn't it?
But listen, if it drains you,if it shames you, if it stresses
you to the point of burnout, itmight not be God's will.
You don't have to and I'm goingto go hard in the paint here.
Listen manipulate M-A-N.
Manipulate what God has alreadywritten into your story.
(08:50):
You might just need to getthrough a few more chapters.
First, faith it forward.
So let's flip this.
What if you faith instead offorce?
What if you waited instead ofworrying?
What if you trusted instead oftrying to control, you might
(09:12):
stop repeating the same patterns.
My guess is you might evenbreak generational habits.
So I'm going to give you a fewpractical tools to help you do
that very thing.
Number one I hope you got yourjournals out, because we got a
journal prompt here and I wantyou to write at the top of your
page what are you trying toforce?
Then I want you to cross thatout, redact it, and then I want
(09:32):
you to write God's got this.
And you might have to do thatseveral times.
You might go through severalpages.
Then, number two, I want you todo something I call breath
prayer and you're gonna say thissimply, something like this,
like I release this to you, god,and whisper it often.
Did you know that's whatpraying without ceasing is?
And then, three, anchor it withscripture, like Proverbs 3, 5
(09:53):
through 6.
And then write it, pray it,speak it and do it again.
Write it, pray it and speak itOver and over and over, because
here's a hard truth that I gotwrapped for you in some love.
If you're trying to controleverything, it's not God you're
trusting, it's you.
And sis, you weren't built forthat weight.
Give it to the one who cancarry it.
(10:15):
So, as I close, ask yourselftoday am I force in my way or
faith in my way?
Do I really want to be incontrol or do I want?
Speaker 1 (10:26):
the one who holds the universe to me.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Because here's what I know God doesn't just know the
way forward, he is the way.
You don't have to shove yourway through life, you can
surrender and walk by faith.
And the best part ooh, the bestpart is His way is always
better and blessed.
Let's stop forcing it and startfaithing together.
(10:49):
And if you're tired of carryingthe weight alone, call our 24-7
prayer line at 855-822-PRAY.
Sister, you don't have to walkthis journey alone.
So until next time, walk intruth, rest in grace and trust
the one who's already gonebefore you.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
And remember it's a single mom thing and not the
single thing that stops you.
Thanks for listening to.
It's a Single Mom Thing.
I hope you enjoyed our timetogether.
If you have more questions onhow to have a relationship with
Jesus or need prayer, visit usat wwwshepherdsvillagecom.
Backslash prayer.
For more information andresources, check out our show
(11:29):
notes.
Welcome to it's a Single Mom Thing, the show for
single moms by single moms.
This is Sherri, your host, andI am happy you are here today.
Remember it's a single momthing and not the single thing
that stops you.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Welcome back to another episodeof it's a Single Mom Thing,
where we walk and talk real life, fierce faith and that
unconditional, unbreakable,unapologetic love for our kids
and even ourselves.
I'm your host, sherri, andtoday we're going to have a
little devotional talk.
We're going to do it a littlebit shorter than normal and
we're going to talk aboutsomething that might just pinch
(00:38):
a little but has the power, oohgirl, to free you big time.
So I'm going to start our timeoff together with a little
question.
So let me ask you this have youever tried to force something
to work your way, your timeline,your outcome only to end up
more frustrated and exhausted,Same?
(00:59):
So today's episode, devotionalthought I am calling it faith
over force, why forcing it isn'tfaith in it, sis.
So we're going to talk aboutwhat happens when we yes, you
and me try to control theuncontrollable, what it really
means to live by faith, and howtrusting God isn't about giving
(01:19):
up but giving it over, becausesometimes listen, sometimes I
have found the biggest leap offaith is letting go, forcing
versus faithing.
So let's start our timetogether here.
So think about this what is thedifference between forcing your
way and faithing your way.
Have you ever thought aboutthat?
(01:40):
And, to be honest with you,this is something the Lord has
just put on my heart and this issomething that I am thinking
much about.
So forcing, this is what I havefound.
Forcing is rooted in fear,whereas faithing it is rooted in
trust.
Forcing is like pushing andtrying to pry a locked door open
with your shoulder until yoursoul is bruised and your nails
(02:01):
yeah, the ones you just got donethey are all broken.
And your nails yeah, the onesyou just got done, they are all
broken, whereas faithingfaithing is waiting on the door.
God, listen, god will open foryou and then walking through it,
even if you don't know what'son the other side.
Now we this listen, includes meforce things when we don't
(02:21):
believe he'll come through.
You know, I'm right.
So maybe you forced, let's say,a relationship, how about a job
, or a conversation, or even adecision, because you were tired
of waiting.
Maybe you texted when youshould have prayed.
Maybe you settled when youshould have trusted.
(02:42):
I get it, listen, we all dothis, but I wonder sometimes, I
just wonder how freeing, howfreeing would it be if we didn't
?
You know, girl, just as I do.
God is not slow, he isstrategic, though If he hasn't
opened the door, my guess isit's either not the right one or
not the right time.
(03:03):
You see, we need, I tend towonder sometimes.
I think we need to let the Lordbe the locksmith to opening the
doors of opportunity that hehas prepared for us.
Mic drop Control versuscontentment.
Okay, moving on.
We're going to talk aboutcontrol, and that word Sometimes
I don't know about you.
Do you find that it makes youclench your fists when you think
(03:25):
of the word control?
You see, control, it isslippery and it is sneaky.
It wears disguises and it likesto masquerade around as
perfectionism, people pleasingover planning and even over
functioning, over-functioning.
(03:48):
But what's really underneaththat?
It is hiding much like thebottom of an iceberg that is
submerged way deep beneath thesurface is fear.
Well, fear of what?
Fear of being hurt again, fearof being left?
How about fear of not havingenough?
Or fear of failing again?
And fear will always lie to you.
It is deceitful, and that's why, in God's word, it says it
(04:10):
several different ways Fear not,don't be afraid, or do not fear
, over and over again inscripture, because, listen, fear
distracts, it misleads and itdisconnects us from faith.
But when fear fades, somethingpowerful rises in its place
Contentment.
And here's the thing aboutcontentment that sometimes I
(04:33):
think we get wrong.
Contentment, it isn't passive,on the opposite, on thement.
It isn't passive On theopposite, on the contrary, it is
powerful.
It is saying God, I trust you.
With what I don't understand, Ichoose peace in the process.
Philippians 4.11 says it thisway from Brother Paul, I've
learned to be content, whateverthe circumstances.
(04:56):
Ladies, that means even here,even in your now, even ooh, this
is a good one even in your notyet.
It's saying I don't know theway, but I know the one who does
Contentment I have found,doesn't give up.
It gives in to his plans andnot your past hurts.
(05:17):
So here we're going to move onto faith that echoes through
generations.
So let's talk about some bigfaith moves that didn't just
impact the moment.
They shifted generations andthey came by the way of four
faith warriors.
Number one Abraham.
He followed without knowingwhere, and because he followed,
(05:40):
generations were blessed.
His obedience became the originstory of God's covenant people.
Number two Hannah Waitedwithout knowing when, and
through her prayers Samuel wasborn, a prophet who changed
history.
Number three Mary believedwithout knowing how, and she
(06:04):
birthed the Messiah, foreverchanging the world, and Jesus
changing our eternity.
And number four, joseph,trusted without knowing why,
without knowing why, and throughbetrayal, prison and pain, he
rose to power to save his familyand the nations.
Can God say that same thingabout us?
(06:25):
You see, their faith didn'tjust change their lives, it
changed the world and the worldas we know it.
They were, let's say, eternalpivots as we know it.
They were, let's say, eternalpivots, faithful choices that
echoed into the future.
And believe it or not, sis,yours can too.
You see, your faith isn't justfor you, it's for your kids, for
(07:00):
their kids, for someonewatching you who needs to
believe.
It's possible.
That whisper prayer, that hardchoice, that decision to keep
showing up, it matters Nowlisten.
Your trust in God, even whenyou don't know the where, the
when, the how and the why, isshaping tomorrow.
It's healing family patterns.
It's redirecting legacies, it'splanting seeds that your
great-grandchildren may one dayharvest.
(07:22):
So don't you dare underestimateyour everyday faith.
That quiet decision to pray, tostay, to walk away, to speak
life instead of giving up,that's a faith move, sister, and
someone else's future dependson it.
The cost of forcing it.
So let's get real here.
(07:43):
There is a cost that we pay forwhen we try to force it.
When we force things, what dowe do?
Well, we wear ourselves out.
We damage relationships Beenthere.
We actually delay blessings,like if you're dating someone
who doesn't walk with God, justto escape the feeling of
loneliness that man, that man,just might be standing in the
(08:07):
way of God's real blessing.
And let me go as far as to saysomething even bolder In God's
relationship, he doesn't forceyou, he invites you.
He gave you a choice to followhim, love him and trust him,
unlike some of the relationshipswe allow to force us.
So why are we out here forcingeverything and then calling it
(08:28):
faith?
Ooh, that stings, doesn't it?
But listen, if it drains you,if it shames you, if it stresses
you to the point of burnout, itmight not be God's will.
You don't have to and I'm goingto go hard in the paint here.
Listen manipulate M-A-N.
Manipulate what God has alreadywritten into your story.
(08:50):
You might just need to getthrough a few more chapters.
First, faith it forward.
So let's flip this.
What if you faith instead offorce?
What if you waited instead ofworrying?
What if you trusted instead oftrying to control, you might
(09:12):
stop repeating the same patterns.
My guess is you might evenbreak generational habits.
So I'm going to give you a fewpractical tools to help you do
that very thing.
Number one I hope you got yourjournals out, because we got a
journal prompt here and I wantyou to write at the top of your
page what are you trying toforce?
Then I want you to cross thatout, redact it, and then I want
(09:32):
you to write God's got this.
And you might have to do thatseveral times.
You might go through severalpages.
Then, number two, I want you todo something I call breath
prayer and you're gonna say thissimply, something like this,
like I release this to you, god,and whisper it often.
Did you know that's whatpraying without ceasing is?
And then, three, anchor it withscripture, like Proverbs 3, 5
(09:53):
through 6.
And then write it, pray it,speak it and do it again.
Write it, pray it and speak itOver and over and over, because
here's a hard truth that I gotwrapped for you in some love.
If you're trying to controleverything, it's not God you're
trusting, it's you.
And sis, you weren't built forthat weight.
Give it to the one who cancarry it.
(10:15):
So, as I close, ask yourselftoday am I force in my way or
faith in my way?
Do I really want to be incontrol or do I want?
Speaker 1 (10:26):
the one who holds the universe to me.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Because here's what I know God doesn't just know the
way forward, he is the way.
You don't have to shove yourway through life, you can
surrender and walk by faith.
And the best part ooh, the bestpart is His way is always
better and blessed.
Let's stop forcing it and startfaithing together.
(10:49):
And if you're tired of carryingthe weight alone, call our 24-7
prayer line at 855-822-PRAY.
Sister, you don't have to walkthis journey alone.
So until next time, walk intruth, rest in grace and trust
the one who's already gonebefore you.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
And remember it's a single mom thing and not the
single thing that stops you.
Thanks for listening to.
It's a Single Mom Thing.
I hope you enjoyed our timetogether.
If you have more questions onhow to have a relationship with
Jesus or need prayer, visit usat wwwshepherdsvillagecom.
Backslash prayer.
For more information andresources, check out our show
(11:29):
notes.
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