November 2026

It’s November. I’ve already pulled most of the summer plants. The brassicas and peas that I planted earlier this fall are thriving. The beets have sprouted, and the alliums are doing their Zen calm thing. Most of the other plants and herbs are changing color and fading.

And then there is this little Roma tomato.

I noticed it a couple of days ago as I passed by the garden table where the tomato plants are waiting to be moved to the compost pile. The rest of the plant is mostly brown and bare, but this little guy has decided to make an appearance. While there is something funny and charming about this tomato’s tenacity, it also reminds me of the problem of lingering past our season.

The reality is, it’s unlikely that it will grow to full size, let alone ripen. It’s November. Even if we get a few more unseasonably warm days, there probably won’t be enough warmth for the fruit to fully develop. The plant has put the last of its energy into an effort that is unlikely to be sustainable.

I wonder how often we are like this tomato plant. How many times have we lingered past our fruitful season? How many times have we stayed too long in a place, pouring energy into things that will not yield any meaningful return?

Sometimes, we have become comfortable. We know that we should be moving on from where we are, but it seems easier to stay where we are, with what and who we know. Sometimes, God is nudging us out of a place, a position, or a situation, but we’re scared of the unknown. And so we “buckle down” and try to prove to ourselves (and maybe to God) that we’ve still “got it” and can make things happen where we are.

And many times, we discover that we don’t and we can’t. We end up a bit like my little Roma—hanging on without much hope of becoming all that we could be.

Beloved, learn to recognize the signs that your current season is ending. Sometimes, it’s painful to move on, but on the other side of that pain is growth and grace. The grace to become who God has shaped you to be, and the grace to do the “good works God has prepared in advance for you to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)