Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
10. Sorrow according to God “Tristitia secundum Deum;” — “La tristesse qui est selon Dieu;” — “The sorrow which is according to God.” “Κατὰ Θεὸν, in such a way as God requires — with reference to his will and glory, i.e., as Rosenm. explains, ‘arising from causes out of which he would have it arise, and producing effects such as he would approve.’” — Bloomfield. —.Ed.
There seems to be a connection between Co2 2:13 (where the apostle said he had no rest in his spirit when he found not Titus at Troas) and the fifth verse of this chapter: and so great was his affection to the Corinthians, and his concern about their behaviour in relation to the incestuous person, that, in his further travels, he still had no rest till he heard from them.
Commenting on 2 Corinthians 7:5-11
For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation,.... These words contain a reason, proving that they had received no damage, but profit by the sorrow that had possessed them, from the nature of it, a "godly" sorrow; a sorrow which had God for its author; it did not arise from the power of free will, nor from the dictates of a natural conscience, nor from a...