Have you ever gone through the motions of forgiving someone but still had a problem with anger, even bitterness, over what they’d done?
I’m not going to say that’s a sign you haven’t forgiven, but it certainly indicates the process hasn’t been completed.
Scripture commands us to put away bitterness (Colossians 3:8, Ephesians 4:31). It simply doesn’t do much good to ask God to remove it when we haven’t followed His leading in the matter. It’s up to us. We took it on, we need to put it off.
- Declare that you choose to put away bitterness.
- Ask for forgiveness for harboring bitterness which developed from unsurrendered anger.
- Tell Jesus that you are willing to give the anger to Him, then do it.
- Put the bitterness away from you.
Try not to take it back (like we all do from time to time). 
And voilá, you have obeyed the Lord’s command.
Now complete the process: bless the one who caused you such anger in the first place. Even if they are dead, the blessing will not go to waste. At the very least, it will cleanse the curses that bitterness fed.
I like to say something like this: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I send blessing to the 
one who hurt me (name them if you can remember). I bless them with the peace of the Lord, and I bless them with a full saving knowledge of Jesus and His love. I bless them with knowledge of who they truly are, and that they act according to that true identity.
It’s not often easy, but it is so very helpful. When you seek peace after the pain, forgive and bless. In doing so, you will release yourself from the perpetrator’s hold on you.
this is part 3 of a series on blessing
Part 1|Blessing You in 2015
Part 2|Can You Bless Yourself?
All illustrations courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net