THE RELIGION CORNER: Open the Floodgates of Heaven

Lyndia Grant

By Lyndia Grant
Special to the NNPA from The Washington Informer

“Open the Floodgates of Heaven” by Bishop Paul S. Morton is a song with one line of lyrics. It’s about times when you find yourself suffering through a drought. It is a metaphor that reminds us that His Word says He will open the windows of Heaven and pour us out blessings we won’t have room to receive. It causes us to reflect on the tragedies in life that brought us to our knees.

To make it, though, the first thing we must do is to get our spirits in a good place. Anger, frustration, tension and taking out our problems on others won’t do it. This song talks about those times when we feel the Lord has forsaken us, when everything that could go wrong, did! You feel like throwing in the towel. Giving up. You have no hope.

Find a way to be the person you were at birth – carefree and you knew no problems. You were glad to be alive. As I listened to Morton minister this song, I also watched people cry, pray and thank God while speaking in tongues. They were reflecting on days when they hardly had food on the table, no gas for the car and no money for school trips. I understood because it happened in me. In high school, my Daddy didn’t have $6.00 for my gym uniform at McKinley. I got a used one.

When it appears everything has dried up, faith is needed and we must learn to lean not to our own understanding, but to acknowledge Him in all our ways; and He surely will direct our paths. He will, if we allow Him to do so.

Franchesca Ramsey shares on her website ‘Upworthy,’ ten things you can do to make yourself feel better during these droughts. First, exercise, even if it is for a short time. Next, give yourself permission to focus on someone outside yourself, when you do, you will forget about your own problems and feel thankful and blessed.

Next, a hug can do wonders. If you don’t have a husband or wife, then hug a child or a pillow. It will help both of you. Give yourself permission to feel bad: Schedule it in your day, and remind yourself your reactions are normal. Then let that go and give it to God.

Give yourself permission to feel good; develop a routine. In other words, you’ve got to have a purpose driven life. For example, when you awaken each day, have something important to do. Make things happen in your life.

Engage in practices that are meaningful to you, such as prayer, walking in the woods, sitting quietly, meditating, reading inspirational material, taking a bath with Epsom salt, or writing in a journal; you will always feel better.

Connect with nature, take your shoes off, allow your bare feet to touch the ground; it’s called earthing, and it’s scientifically proven as therapeutic. Google it! My daughter and I make a special effort to walk bare foot 20 minutes every day. It’s tested, and causes you to lose weight and free your body from pain.

Next, take breaks from periods of isolation. The bible reminds us “It is not good for man to be alone.” Finally, get plenty of rest so you feel refreshed and relaxed; read the 23rd Psalm if you don’t believe it. Verses 2-3 say, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.”

When you finally let go and let God, He will pour out more blessings from the windows of heaven than you have room to receive. Then you can sing this song, thanking the Lord for Opening the Flood Gates of Heaven for you, too!

Lyndia Grant is an author, inspirational and motivational speaker, radio talk show host and columnist. Visit her new website at http://www.lyndiagrant.com and call 202-263-4621. Listen Fridays at 6 p.m. to her talk show on WYCB (1340 AM), a Radio One station