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Clock Into Your Calling exists to encourage believers to live out their faith in everyday life, making Monday through Saturday feel more like Sunday morning. Each episode inspires consistent faithfulness, breaking the divide between “sacred” and “secular” by showing how God uses our work, relationships, and daily routines for His glory. Through stories, practical wisdom, and biblical encouragement, you’ll be equipped to live intentionally, steward your gifts well, and embrace a kingdom mindset over culture. Our goal is to empower you to take faithful steps right where God has placed you.
Ian Hess:
What's up everybody? Welcome into another episode of Clock and Deer Calling. We have a great episode planned for you guys today. I'm so thankful for you guys investing some of your time into this. I hope you guys are getting something from this. Your likes, your comments, subscribe, shares, all that means so much to me. And I'm so thankful for you taking some time to do that. Today's topic, we got working for the applause of one in this world that it seems like we got so many bosses, so many people, so many voices and opinions in our head that we are just gonna recenter ourselves with this conversation, hopefully. We got...
Ian Hess:
My guest today, Michael Chu in the house. What is up? What is up? So Mike is working at airport security customer service, a man who loves to cook, get after God sports. I know you love all those different things. How are you feeling today? Doing really well. Doing really well, man. Grateful to be alive another day. That's definitely something that I've learned to be grateful for that you woke up in the morning and that God's joys are here every morning as well. So we just got to tap into it and...
Ian Hess:
You know, because life dishes out stuff and we need God's joy in this life. That's it. That's good. So one thing that Mike does really well whenever I'm hanging out with him is he always feeds me. And I'm so thankful for him and his wife. I like I'm like, no, I don't want anything to eat. He's like, yes, take that to go with you now. OK, like I bought it, but I feel sorry to feel bad. So we got a question, I think that will help us get to know our audience or our guests. And that question is for you, Mike, that I have. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Ian Hess:
One meal for the rest of my life. It's going to be chicken parm. No doubt about it. It's a pain in butt to make. But that's why I usually get it when I'm out at restaurant. But I never get sick and tired of it. Been eating it most of my life and it always hits the spot. Yeah. I mean, I don't know if you're anything like me. Like when I go out to eat, I want to get something I don't like to have at home. You know, that makes it worth it. Yeah. Like I don't want to go out and get like a sandwich.
Ian Hess:
Yeah, because the chicken farm is such a long process to make everywhere. Like you have to do so many steps and is a tough time to clean everything also. So just to save the hassle, just enjoy that meal outside. Yeah. Yeah. Pick your battles. No dishes. Yeah. No dishes. nothing. Yeah. Keep the kitchen stuff to the simple things. That's good. That's good. So we got a we have an important topic today. Like I kind of discussed what is working for the applause of one look like in our lives. So, Mike, I know that you've been a Christian for 20 years now. Praise God. That's amazing.
Ian Hess:
Who? It's been a journey. So I want to ask you as we get to know you a bit and we get into this introduction here. Have you during those 20 years, have you always been fervently like waking up on your knees, praying to God already with your Bible opener? Has there been some tough seasons for you?
Ian Hess:
Yeah, so I'm super grateful that...
Ian Hess:
Been on this journey for 20 years. I know a lot of people that fell off the boat, unfortunately, and it's really truly a blessing in God's favor on it. And I'm really grateful for just people in my life that have poured into me to allow me to not be lukewarm or just to let me know to be aware of that, as well as pointing me to that scripture. So I didn't have times of lukewarm, but I do want to highlight that there are different seasons, like 20 years is a while.
Ian Hess:
I'm going to drop a basketball reference right now. LeBron James, you know, been in league 20, 20 years already. And we've seen so many versions of him, like young LeBron to Finals LeBron to Miami LeBron to back to Cleveland LeBron and then Lakers LeBron. And every season he he adapted to the environment. And same way in my life, like I've been serving at church in different areas. You have youth group, you have...
Ian Hess:
Different events, have a worship team, have Christian rap, a couple years ago did TikTok. So like God will take you to new seasons and you can use those as pillars in your life to remember how much glory bought God. But not to cling on to them because God will can move you into a new season and we just got to be ready for it and keep keeping your hands open. And the second thing I do want to highlight is also that...
Ian Hess:
With all those amazing things and pillars in my life of the faith, there was also sin that continues to get sanctified, right, by the Holy Spirit and by God. And we know that Christ died for our sins and He makes us new and only by His grace we are saved. But you also have that sanctification process that it continues to intertwine as you're going with God. And it doesn't mean that one thing was not true versus the other. You could be dealing with the life of sin.
Ian Hess:
And have these amazing moments with God and that was kind of what happened in my life. I know One big thing was i've still had a point addiction during that time praise god that he delivered me from that I've had anxiety during that time. Praise god for that. I can't do like a divorce during that time. Praise god for that like so It doesn't take away from any of the experiences of those experiences and we just got to understand that...
Ian Hess:
Two things can happen at the same time and that's what happened and God will ultimately eventually cleanse out everything. That's so good. Thanks for sharing all that. That's super. I know that was probably a tough season for you through going through all those different. How does it how does how are you okay in those different seasons with your faith just going about right? Like I think sometimes we think different is bad and change is bad. But how how are you able to adapt so well to those different seasons like you talked about LeBron right as he as he's he's maybe become a shooter now, right? He may be...
Ian Hess:
Less, you know explosive than before but he's so effective. How are you still effective in all those seasons in in your pursuit of god? you gotta be willing to adapt as well as keeping the those healthy habits right those healthy spiritual disciplines This is why it's very very important to incorporate like, daily life of prayer. I know I this goes back all the way to when I first came to christ there was a lady that spoke at the youth camp and she said...
Ian Hess:
Hey, this is something that is was very helpful to me that can be helpful to you. And that was before you even get out of bed, just say a prayer to God before your feet even touch the ground. And once you incorporated those things daily, you kind of get into a habit. Same thing with pouring into yourself with messages and staying consistent with God, reading God's word every day. might start off like when I first started off, it was a Devo book, one verse, one page and a little snippet. And then it evolved into using the Bible app where it was just...
Ian Hess:
Plans after plans after plans, and then sometimes going back into the hardcover book. And you have to be able to adapt and incorporate those spiritual disciplines and build that firm foundation on God. Just like what he says in scripture of when your house is built on rock, that's with God. If it's built on sand, when the winds come and blow, it's going to fall apart. But when you have that firm foundation in God, things can throw at you what life can throw at you and you'll still be ready to go and you'll have a firm foundation on God. Yeah.
Ian Hess:
No, that's really good. I like that that you said before you even get out of bed, because like everybody can do that and you can incorporate that into your daily life. And it's your first fruits. That's what God wants. And you're already centering your mind because when you wake up in the morning, I know that a lot of times God isn't the first thing on my mind. It's like all the kind of something, all the problems from the day before sometimes where I go to bed with all those things I'm not releasing and they just start to pile and pile up. And if we don't, I think that's such a great idea. Just before you even...
Ian Hess:
Put your feet on the ground, say a prayer to God, be thankful, bring some joy into your life before this world comes and just, you know, tries to take over you and swallow your brain. Yeah, yeah. So I want to talk this topic is working for the applause of one. I think when we think working, we're automatically thinking job automatically. What you do for work, security, customer service at the airport. How do you bring this this thought working for the applause of one into your day to day life?
Ian Hess:
Yeah, so, you know, we go to work, thankfully, and just living out biblical principles there. You don't have to shove the gospel down anybody's throat, but just living it out. Right. So I go in joyful every day. I know that that's a big gift that God has given me that people recognize like, hey, Mike is always in a good mood. He's always having with everybody. And it's a daily thing and it's consistent. I think that's the big thing is consistent. Even when bad things happen, you still have that joy and you choose to do that.
Ian Hess:
But also just living biblical standards. Like one example, we deal with passengers and people, thousands and thousands of people every day. But one thing that I would highlight is that sometimes I'll have coworkers say, hey, check out that girl over there. Like, keep an eye out for that. Or look over there, turn your head, turn your head. And then I go, hey, I'm happily married, brother. I got my wife at home.
Ian Hess:
So but in the world standards, right. It says I hear I hear a lot of guys saying that, hey, I only have my eyes. Don't take that away from me. but line it up with God's word. And what does Christ say? He says that when we lust with our eyes, we already committed adultery in our heart. So...
Ian Hess:
I always set the standard with that or if people ask me for advice and stuff like that, because I do talk about, I'm open about my, a godly marriage with my wife and stuff like that. And they'll ask me for advice and I'll say, Hey, like, just to let you know, we follow the Bible and we follow Christ. And this is why this is where my answer stems from. And you can follow it if you want, but this is where the foundation comes from. And I just start off with that. How do you, I mean, this is something that just came to mind while you were talking. Cause I think that this is something...
Ian Hess:
That could be tough for maybe somebody out there listening that the boundaries at work, they're hard. Yeah, they're hard because some people know that you're a Christian, maybe some of your coworkers, some people don't. But how do you maintain your faith and your sanity really at work, you know, knowing that that's your faith is what's putting forward if that makes sense. So how do you put set those boundaries up to keep your marriage godly, to keep your personal faith, to keep your eyes, you know, to guard your eyes and your ear gates? How are you doing that at work?
Ian Hess:
Yeah, it's just it's just disciplines. I know, obviously, coming from like that type of lustful addiction before you got to retrain your eyes, you got to rewire your brain. So once you keep that in the forefront and you practice those, you practice those every day. So that way, when you get to those moments, it's easy. It's not hard to not like it's easy for me to not turn my head now. So like, but if you if you don't take care of those habits beforehand, that's when it can get loose and stuff like that. So...
Ian Hess:
A good gauge is like, you know, stick with the biblical principles that that God talks about the fruit of the spirit, right? Fruit of Spirit is a great one in Galatians five. Just like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. So, yeah, practice all of those things. And that's how people will really know know about God. Yeah. No, I think it's really good. Like practicing before the game. That makes sense. So training your eyes and all things. And Mike,
Ian Hess:
I think I'd be upset with myself if I didn't ask you this. You're a basketball guy talking about LeBron. Who's the goat? LeBron or MJ? I do have to say. So I was named after Michael Jordan, so I have to go with Mike is the goat. Right. But LeBron has all his accomplishment and he is at the top of the points, career points all time, which we never thought anybody would have broken and for his longevity and things like that. Kudos to LeBron. But...
Ian Hess:
a Michael's the goat because I was named after him in 91 Bulls. OK, so that analogy you gave earlier, LeBron, he's not the goat, though. No, no. OK. Is it incredible, incredible, incredible player? But the analogy still stands. Yeah. All right. So let's go into the next question about keeping our eyes on God as we go into our daily work and our do the test.
Ian Hess:
That's something that I really want to make a big point on this podcast of being consistent with our faith. it's consistency is so important. let's talk a little bit more about keeping our eyes on God. How does that change the way you navigate through just your daily tasks when you have your eyes on God in the sense that a lot of times our daily tasks, they can be mundane, boring. Why do I have to do this? Why do I have to clock in? Why do I have to send the emails, do the write up, do the paper?
Ian Hess:
the things that I don't want to do, how does keeping your eyes on God change the way you perform those tasks? Yeah. So I think mainly is when we keep God at the center of our our daily lives, right, everything just becomes an umbrella after that. So, know, I just want to shout out to an old pastor that gave this illustration of just like, hey, like normally we'll we'll put God first and then we'll go family and, know,
Ian Hess:
da da da da all the way down to 10. But then when you look at that list, when you get all the way down to five, 10, 11, like things like that, God has left way up there. but he said to view it as more of like a like a bubble chart. think that's what it's called. So it's got at the center and then everything stems out to it. Right. And then to get out of that, like mundane, which I think is a big mindset change that we have to do. Right. So like, let's say you work a regular Saturday, Sunday off and then Monday to Friday, you got a grind. Right.
Ian Hess:
first of all, Sunday is the beginning of the week and we shouldn't be feeling a Monday blues because we've already started off on a good foot. But if you kind of separate those things of like, man, this is the work week. This sucks. Like I can't wait for the weekend again. And you get this spiritual high and then you go back. man, I got to do all these tests again. And it's like, I think it was Dave Ramsey that said this. It was just like, Hey, if you're only working for your weekend, there's something wrong with your Monday to Friday. And I really believe that because now when...
Ian Hess:
when I do step into my workplace or, and into that schedule, it's a, the week is a big umbrella. It's how can I glorify God from like, like the whole week and there's no divide of dang, I got to go to work today. Dang. My shift starts now. There's things like that. No, it's the whole umbrella, whether God calls you like at work, outside of work, it's all one. And when we're able to put that all together as one is just, Hey, I'm able to just glorify God all across the board. And it's just one thing rather than.
Ian Hess:
Just even taking the workload off of you of like, dang, I got to do this here. Then I got to do this here. Then I got to do this here. And it's like, oh, no, whatever I'm doing, I'm bringing glory. Yeah. Yeah, that's good. Did you think that I want to ask another question just about that topic there? Do you think it brings more joy? Let's let's take the office example working Monday through Friday. Yeah. Do you think it brings more joy to your day to day? And then can it eliminate some of the Monday blues thoughts? You know?
Ian Hess:
Thursday is Friday, Junior, looking for the weekend. Like I hear some of the crazy weeks. Yeah. People are like, yeah, Thursday is Friday, Junior Tuesday. I'm like, what? Yeah. Day. All that stuff. Yeah. It's like it's like, OK, today's Tuesday. All right. Let's like, do you think it impacts the way you your mind, like the perspective change throughout the week as well when you're thinking of things in that regard? Yeah, I think that's where you can really tap into God's.
Ian Hess:
Joys and mercies are new every morning. Right. How do they consistently stay new and fresh? Right. Like, you know, like for my example, it's like like 20 years since like, yeah, you've gone through stuff, but like that satisfaction and joy inside has been consistent every day for 20 plus years since Christ came into my life. And like, that's the miracle that God allows us to have. But it is our responsibility to incorporate it into our lives. And I think it does. Like what you said, if if you do...
Ian Hess:
get out of that mindset of like, you know, it's Monday and then Tuesday and then it's all that like your your mindset or the motivation behind everything is still like, oh, damn, I'm just at this job, you know, and then like if you could you can find purpose when I'm just going to I'm probably going to this quote scripture again later, but first Corinthians 1031, like whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. So whatever you're going into, if it's a little bit of task at work, if it's a lot.
Ian Hess:
It is whatever responsibilities you have. You start with glorifying God first. That's so good. I think sometimes in our head, we're like, OK, do I need to glorify God with this with that? Is it just these things? No, whatever you do, whatever you do in this. And that's like the grounding scripture of this podcast as well. And word or indeed. I love that. So it's whatever you say and whatever you do, do it for God's glory and bring glory to his name. That's so good. Yeah. And it takes the pressure off of you, too. Like, I that's where like you've...
Ian Hess:
like when he talked about his yoke being easy and the weight like he'll take on, it's like, yeah, give him give him all the the worries and the concerns and things like that. And, you know, just focus on glorifying God and you don't have to worry about all the other things that might fall into place or not. Yeah, no, that's good. I think, yeah, I could just give it brings so much purpose under the everyday and it makes everyday meaningful because when.
Ian Hess:
When you were talking about that, think it's easier to slip into the, today doesn't matter as much as tomorrow because tomorrow's Thursday. You put to put the label of the day on there instead of bringing purpose into each day because you don't know when you're going to be called to speaking to somebody's life, to give someone encouragement, to help somebody, bring someone else closer to God. And if we have that Monday mindset in mind.
Ian Hess:
You know, we may be excited at the Tuesday, Wednesday, beginning of the week, lose whatever it may be. We could miss that moment. Exactly. Exactly. God has put in our lives specifically for us, our unique calling. So, yeah. And let's be real. Like there's sometimes it's just not a place where you're just going to have time to share the gospel. Right. Right. But you have these opportunities that come across to you on how you could treat somebody, how you could just kind of drop in some encouragement for the day or something like that. Really see people.
Ian Hess:
how God sees us, you know, recognizing them and stuff like that. I know a big thing is like, hey, you don't have to worry about sharing the gospel because, you know, I have a 116 plate in front of my car and that's been the most common time that people just go, hey, what's 116? And I go, hey, it's Bible verse, Romans 1 16. I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God, which brings salvation to everyone. And I didn't have to look for those opportunities to, oh, dang, I'm, you know, I didn't get a chance to the gospel today or.
Ian Hess:
This and that is like God will provide you the opportunities where you can share his love and people will ask you the questions when you start living your life a certain way. Like, hey, how did you go through all these difficulties and still smiling? How you still have this joy like every day? Like, how do you find this job fun when everybody else is like making like this job is either sucks or is boring or whatever it's like. But you feel like you're always having a good time. And that's like reflecting God's joy of.
Ian Hess:
That's overflowing into the workplace. Yeah, man, that's so good. It just gives me so many things that I want to touch on. And it truly goes into the topic because you're not working for the money, which maybe somebody else is. You're not working for the weekend. Exactly. That really popular song says, I don't know who it's by, but you're working. So it's so cool. gives you because I truly think that we might be closer to a breakthrough than we might think. And someone listening to this could think that their job stinks and then we're not learning anything or there's no transferable skills.
Ian Hess:
But we're learning more than we know in that moment. And that's why it's so important to know that every day truly, truly does matter. And there's purpose in every day. And sometimes we can get to a point where we, you know, weeks. I didn't know not no time was flying this far. Yes. What I like after I graduate, you know, first week, couple weeks go slow. Yeah. And then I'm like, Whoa, okay, it's six months.
Ian Hess:
16 months. Yeah. Three years. I'm like, geez, like, I'm like, again, it's it's fine. Right. Right. So, man, that's so good. The purpose in the everyday. And I love that because you're not focused on the tangible of what the work can bring. You're not worried about what other people can affirm you for doing. You're just worried about yourself. You're in relationship with God and what he's called you to do. And that's what I truly think. Working for the applause of one. And it's so hard. And let me let me ask you something, too, because someone might be listening to this thinking.
Ian Hess:
Okay, I got a wife. Yeah. Okay, I got a boss. Okay, I got some spiritual guidance at church. Okay, you said one boss, but now I already have four. It's like one plus three. Is it like a divided by two depending on the day? What? How does that knowing that because you're someone that has all three of those things that I just mentioned? Yeah, yeah. Family to that could be another one. I feel like we can throw in there. What is your mindset look like when it says the applause of one?
Ian Hess:
Well, yeah, so I just want to reference back to our little bubble chart there, like keeping God at the center of everything. Right. When it stems off of that, you don't have to worry about what everybody's saying, because it's very easy to idolize things. And once you when you do a list version, I feel like people end up shuffling. We naturally, simply want to shuffle people to the one spot. But when you have that flow chart of God's in the center. Oh, I go to God first and then it stems into my wife. I go to God first and then.
Ian Hess:
He's the center of my family. Then he goes, he's the center of my workplace. He's the center of my conversations to my boss. So it always reverts you back to God first. And it keeps him in the middle of your whole day. Because it's very, very easy, even for me, being married now. There are instances where your thoughts will creep in of just like, is the voice of my wife being louder than God? Because yeah, being married and loving my wife is a great thing.
Ian Hess:
but it can trump God's voice. And I think that's where like good things can turn into idols if we are not careful. And that's why we just got to continue to remember to keep God at the center. Yeah, that's good. I like the bubble chart because I think we always want to list something. We want to list like I literally made a list for my workout this morning, right?
Ian Hess:
And I think when we do that, we naturally put priority on each of them. And then when a couple start shifting, like you said, when the pressure turns on, then things start shifting and you start panicking. because I think we could be in a better situation if we had a list of we had two priorities. We had one and then everything else. Yeah. So we have God and everything else. I think that alone could help us be better in 99 percent of the circumstances that we find ourselves Totally agree. But I like the way you talked about that because...
Ian Hess:
That way there's no list and they're not ranking everything else. then because all those do shift, right? You'll have seasons of your life where you'll have a wife, you know, hopefully or a significant other husband. You'll have kids. You'll have a job that, know, you need to provide financially, whatever the case may be. All those are constantly shifting. Yep. Yep. Yep. But God has to not be constantly shifting his number one. Everything else, like you said, flows from that. Yeah, yeah, definitely. Like, I mean, in my own marriage, like in the beginning, I mean, the marriage is a perfect example. It continues to evolve like...
Ian Hess:
When I was first dating my wife and the first year we were running around the theme parks a lot. you know, fast forward three years later, you know, we're having more time at home. I have to work more hours and you just adapt to the new season, but the foundation doesn't change. know? Yeah, no, that's good. So I want to ask you, so 20 years long time, and I think it's amazing that you've been in your faith for that long. Looking back, what is one lesson you've learned about pleasing God first that you wish you knew earlier?
Ian Hess:
in your faith journey? Wow. One one thing I definitely would have liked to learn earlier was spiritual warfare, spiritual because I think it plays a part into keeping God as your own as the number one audience, right? As the single audience. Yeah. And I learned spiritual warfare later. And I think that would have played a part into how I approach daily things, how I got offended by different things, how I things personal.
Ian Hess:
Um, that would affect a lot because uh scripture does talk about hey there are um influences and fights that are happening and we know that christ is the overall victory of all that's good. Um, but those daily things can still be influenced for people who don't know god and things like that and um, know when you're more aware to some of those things, uh, you can see that hey like maybe me been being pissed off at this person like wasn't just them it was just...
Ian Hess:
you know, something behind them and things like that. And you know that there's a battle that's overall an enemy is just trying to, you know, let's just destroy both of you guys and everything. Yes. mean, Yeah. So that's good. I think one thing and I know you love to reflect to and how you're growing. I think that's one of the great skills that you have or just I mean, you know, you that's something that you do so you can always grow and know that your man likes to grow in their personal faith and your marriage and everything has talked to me about how that's helped you.
Ian Hess:
Become a better disciple of god like how taking that a little bit of time to look back and reflect How that's helped you grow as well. Yeah, lot of the work. it's kind of cool because a big chunk of the Work, has been probably within the last year year and a half. I feel like god's just speaking to me in a different way of taking care of either traumas that i've had or just Really healing some things that like hey, you know, why why are you so chill?
Ian Hess:
to you kind of hit this line, right? You why do you have this button over here? Right. And things like that where it's like, oh, yeah, like for you. Most of the time it's jail. But then you have those buttons. It's like, hey, why do you have those buttons? Let's explore that a little bit. And, know, thankfully through like different books and podcasts and things like that, you know, why were you dealing with anxiety at this time? You know, why why were you so concerned and reactive, you know, when with the outcome or the way somebody said something or things like that? So.
Ian Hess:
I think that just doing the work yourself and being aware of that is the more work that we do in ourselves, it definitely overflows into other people. Yeah, no, that's so good. think that our generation and a lot of times we want others to do something for us. And that's so true. just I found myself doing that so many times, too. I want to go to one of my mentors, my spiritual guidance, someone who has authority in my life. Be like, hey, how do I do this X, Y and Z?
Ian Hess:
Yeah. And I want them to be like, oh, and I'm ready to take notes. Yeah. I'm like, OK. Yeah. But I think the problem is, and like you just said, first of all, they don't know the whole situation. Yeah, exactly. Like they're going to give you their input, their thoughts, but they don't know all the ins and outs. What you've been through, what's making you feel a certain way. Yeah. And that's why I think like you talked about that self-reflection helps you so much, because at the end of the day, whatever they say, you got to make the decision. Yeah. You know, you're the one making the decision. And I love that you do take the time to know that to stop.
Ian Hess:
Mm hmm. Right. And think of like, Why? Why is there anxiety here? Yeah. Why? Why is there? Why is there anger? And, you know, like you said about the the button that pushes you over the edge? Why is that there in the stopping and thinking? I feel like can help you so much. Yeah. Yeah. As well. Yeah. A lot of time we just got to pause and, you know, not not just jump right into it. And because also it's like a pride thing, too. Like I've a lot with pride also, like even...
Ian Hess:
being like a longtime Christian is like, you know, you could get prideful of like, oh, I don't struggle with this anymore and stuff like that. But then there's another struggle that like, you know, stuff like that. Let's talk about a mic. No, that's so good. I mean, I've seen people like, hey, man, like you, you were praising God on Sunday and then like, know, you treated this person right after service like crap, you know, like, come on, man. I I'm not giving the people the finger to on the road before I get to church, you know, like, but it'd be like that energy. I love what Pastor Justin, pastor of our church at Action Church.
Ian Hess:
He's always like, I never feel like more failure from when someone gives you the number one. Yeah. That's so funny. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I love the honesty. I love that. Yeah, just think it's hilarious. But but yeah, you're right. The double life is so tough and it's naturally and it's something you said it was so good. It's the...
Ian Hess:
That private thing will sneak up on you quick because you talk to someone who's been struggling with something that you're not struggling with. Yep. They're like, man, I got that porn. Gosh. And then I'm over here. Maybe that's something I'm not dealing with. It's like, bro, it's easy, bro. Yeah. Have you tried X, Y, Z? We're also going to give them a three step plan. Is everybody. Yeah. And then I could I could leave that conversation thinking that I'm above.
Ian Hess:
reproach or I'm just like, I'm good the way everything that I'm doing is good. Yeah. Meanwhile, I'm struggling with something else that they're not struggling with. We just didn't get to my part. Yeah. Yeah. And then it can get you quick. And I think that's the thing that's I mean, that's why you got to be so always repenting to God and living each day on your knees. Yeah. Yeah. You got to be grateful that like like Christ saved all of us and never to forget that. I think that's that's a big foundation to like don't like that's why he says, you know, you can forgive others because...
Ian Hess:
God forgave you. Yeah. You can extend grace because he gave you grace, you know, just because, hey, I'm not doing this here or like, you know, I've never smoked or like gotten drunk, but then I can't be like, hey, I was dealing with a porn addiction to and then who's better? Who's better? Yeah. So at the end of the day, it's sin. And then Christ cleanses us from sin and sanctifies us from sin. That's good. And that's it. And no matter what you're messing with. Yeah. And I think, yeah, just last thought on this topic of the.
Ian Hess:
You start to stack them too. you got, okay, so you got, you got lust, you got, you know, porn addiction, you got drugs and alcohol. Yeah. And I only got this. Right. So I'm good. you got four. Yeah. The math classes that I took. Four is greater than one. Exactly. you pull some kind Yeah. You got to watch that pride, man. You got to check your own heart. Yeah. Well, that wasn't part of the agenda that I've got in the back. That's been so fresh on my mind and it's so easy to slip there. So. Yeah.
Ian Hess:
And just little plug, Ben, like anybody dealing with that, like just know that there's a light at end of the tunnel. You could do the work, but and it's going to be different for everybody. But just know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Like when I was deep in it, it's like God rewired my whole brain and you don't have the what the enemy will tell you, because this is what he told me is that, hey, you're going to have to deal with this the rest of your life. You're to have to deal with the rest of your life. And sometimes some nights I started to believe that I'm just like, dang, yeah.
Ian Hess:
He right, because I'm doing all this church stuff and I'm living out my faith, but does not get any better until God really steps in and you kind of start doing the work, putting up your boundaries. And when you do the work, it goes hand in hand with God's grace. And he overall delivers the will deliver you from it. Yeah, think that one thing the enemy would always want to steal, if he could, is your hope. Yeah, because that's the currency of your faith. Yep. So once you have the once you have your faith, the hope stems from that you can be facing.
Ian Hess:
The toughest thing in the world, the tallest mountain you've ever faced. that hope will carry you through it. Yeah. And that and that's so tough because not only the enemy might say that to you, you'll be dealing with that. But your coworkers, your peers will say the same thing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because maybe they are. Maybe that's what they believe. Maybe that's what the enemy's planted in their head. Yeah. That's where the whole like Christians are hypocrites type of thing. Yeah. It's like, yeah, we are because there's people that we don't back up what we say. Yeah. And we're practicing something different. Yeah. That's good. I that part. I'm glad we got into that.
Ian Hess:
So I want to ask you, to encourage somebody listening to this today that they might be thinking, you know, it's hard to please God when I got to please my boss. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Or I got to please my wife or my family's got this certain expectations on my life and I got to please them. It seems like I got to please them first. Yes. Because maybe they or maybe their morals don't align with God. So when I go try to please God first, it's not aligning with what my family, my boss, my significant other, you name it, has put in front of me.
Ian Hess:
to try to please, what are you saying to that person so they can refocus and prioritize their mind on who to please first? I think just trust that God will take care of the rest of what we have to worry about, right? That's where the scripture says, do not worry, right? Do not worry. And I've held onto that scripture for so long because life brings worry, and we naturally will worry. But if God's telling us that there's a possibility that there is no worry and we don't have to worry, we have to just trust Him.
Ian Hess:
And I know it's a lot simpler said than done. Right. But when you start incorporating some of these habits and change these habits and just practicing that, hey, like, you know, God's going to take care of this, even if I don't have it all together here. Yeah. And when that's how you could practice your faith to you're actually putting more of your faith in God by doing that than wanting to get everything all situated and.
Ian Hess:
and things like that. Yeah, that's really good. Do you think I just want this? This is a word that just popped into my head because I want to ask you if you think any of these things are related. But do you think our subject from today is related to control at all? And the sense of I'll let you go. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 100 percent. Did you have more of the question? No, no. I just wanted to hear your thoughts on that, because I was thinking that I can when it comes to pleasing earthly audiences, I think the control is so...
Ian Hess:
present, right? Like that we want to because that's how we try to please others. We usually try to control how they're going to react and everything. Exactly. So what do you think about that? Yeah, I think it's a huge part of control. And I've dealt with that, too, of just like, hey, like, that's probably why, like, hey, I would expect a certain reaction or a type of response from somebody. But I'm taking away their freedom of like, can't hear the bad news. I can hear some criticism and things like that. And I think a lot of that does come from...
Ian Hess:
you know, focusing too much on, you know, what either the world has to say or, know, on this level and not worried about what God has to say, which is, hey, you are loved first. Like before you even get anything done, you're already loved. Think about that. I think that's that's one thing that's really good, especially if you're striving for.
Ian Hess:
you know, a great career and things like that. Like, just know that God already loved you before all of that, because the paycheck is not going to pay for your purpose. You're not going to be able to carry that with you. Like your recognition, your status and all that stuff like that. You can't take that to the grave with you. So you'll still have and you you will still have purposeless. Like I've had that in my own life. Like there's a time where I did like Christian rap. And then I know like one line in my testimony rap was like, can you tell me when my money was grand why I still had thoughts with a knife in my hand?
Ian Hess:
And it's like, it's like, yeah, that's what happened. It was like I was pursuing worldly recognition and riches and it still left me empty. And just know that that's going to be the end goal. That's good. Now, I mean, guys, I mean, leave a comment below if you guys want to hear Mike rap. I got to come back for that. I was already getting a little chills over here. That's the season, Yeah. Yeah. Wow. That's awesome. I know that you mentioned like you're a creative guy.
Ian Hess:
express yourself that way too. that's awesome. All right, guys, we have our ending question. The one question that I want you guys to, you know, like we're talking about today, reflect on your own life with. So I you guys to have this for you guys. Who in your life do you feel pressured to please? And how can you prioritize God's approval instead? So think about some of the people that we've talked about, your boss, these are like the common ones, but this could not be the person for you, your boss, significant other, spouse, wife, husband, whatever.
Ian Hess:
Family, think it's another common one we want to because the expectations of being a chew or being a Hess in my case. Yeah. Yeah A mentor you have someone that's pouring into you You want to make sure you're pleasing them who in your life? Do you feel pressure to please and how can you prioritize God's approval and trust him with the results? Instead of them, so I want to just go ahead and thank you Mike. chew I like I just did your name in two synonyms. They're good. You're good, too
Ian Hess:
Syllables, I don't know my English is broken. But thank you Mike You've been a guy that I've been so thankful for we actually met in a small group I'm so thankful for that small group because I got to meet you and your wife there and just to grow together and thank you for holding me accountable and all the things that I do Just not wanting just nothing but the best for our relationship. So, thank you. Yeah No, thank you, man. It's been a blessing for my wife and I we love it every time you come over whether we're joking around or talking about life's difficulties and navigating through that like we truly cherish you and your friendship and...
Ian Hess:
This is a real guy because he made my family photo. Not to mention that, but like, you are in the family photo with my wife and my parents. And, you know, that just shows how that you're a one, man. I mean, if you look at the photo, you can tell that I don't fit in. a little bit tall. You got us by a couple inches. Yeah, Yeah. Just a couple hundred. No, no, but I.
Ian Hess:
As we end every podcast with every time we end, want you guys to remember the one thing if you don't remember anything else. Remember that you've been given a purpose only you can fulfill. So don't settle for the ordinary, but step into the extraordinary that God wants to use you for and your own unique and purpose filled life. Thank you guys so much for being here. God bless. Leave a like, comment, subscribe below. Thanks, Mike. Love you guys.