The easy thing to do is to let things fester. It seems nicer that way; we can wallow in a bit of anger and feel superior because we didn't do THAT. The challenge is realise that we really aren't superior; we've done lots of bad things ourselves and deserve the same condemnation as we're seeking to hand out.

So we have a choice - continue to wallow, or start to work towards the edge. We won't get there all at once - but if we try and live as though we have forgiven, as time goes on we will find that we actually have - even though we don't notice when the shift actually occurred.

One specific solution is to try to turn the emotion associated with the offence against us to something positive. Praying for others who have suffered similarly is risky - it can merely channel the anger we feel. Instead we need to live out what the bible says - pray for those who have hurt us.

Easy? Of course not. But unfortunately that's a sign that it's what God wants of us...