Personally I feel that God has taught me to be more loving of others and myself, gives me joy and peace I can't put to words, surrounded me with people who are patient, gentle and kind. Through their example, I hope to learn self control and display the same to others.
We do grow in the Lord after we make Him our guide. The Holy Spirit within us that gives us the fruits of the spirit uses the word that we absorb by study and listening. We are like babies at first, but we grow in the Lord.
It is wonderful, marvelous what the Lord does. It makes us free, and even free of being hurt by others as we let them free without judging them, but only accepting and loving them. No one can take away our self worth no matter what they say or do, for we know we are created by the Lord. The Lord takes such complete care of us that we need not even fear death.