For most children in school, the Christmas break seems eons away from September. After Christmas vacation, the Easter break seems like it will never arrive. For me, the worst was always after Easter. Summer vacation was tantalizingly close, yet far enough away that the waiting almost hurt.

So when did things change? When did time begin moving faster than children at the sound of an ice cream truck’s bell? I don’t remember the precise moment, but gradually—almost imperceptibly—the pages of the calendar turned with an increasing frequency that bordered on illegal.

Until I began submitting work for publication. Then it felt like time stood still. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, as I waited for responses to my submissions.

Anticipation makes us eager for the next big thing, whatever it is. Children yearn for Christmas. Pre-adolescents can’t wait to be teens. Teens crave to be adults. Those in the workforce long for retirement.

The result of all this wishing and wanting is that we end up wishing our life away. We’re so focused on tomorrow and what tomorrow will bring, that we fail to enjoy the blessings of today. Our happiness is based on happenings that have happened and happenings that haven’t happened yet!

This does not mean we should not plan ahead. The Bible tells us, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5 NIV) and “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Proverbs 15:22 NIV).

God wants us to plan ahead, but also wants us to leave room in our plans for Him. Proverbs also says, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed” and “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (16:3, 9 NLT).

I intend to continue setting goals and planning for tomorrow. I also intend to leave room for God to show up in my todays as well as in my tomorrows. As I do, I have a feeling the passage of time won’t seem quite so fast. My happiness quotient may not increase, but my joy, based on trusting Jesus Christ for the results, will skyrocket.

How quickly is time passing for you?