The Vital Difference between Godly and Worldly Sorrow
Worldly sorrow–simply put–is feeling sorry for yourself but not sorry enough to turn to God in real life change. If you are unsure about your repentance, a functional assessment question would be to think through how often you fall into any of the traps that I mentioned. The Corinthians did not respond with worldly sorrow. Instead, they walked out godly sorrow, which they demonstrated by moving from an ongoing self-centered lifestyle to a gospel-centered way of thinking and living.
Christians still need a daily transformation from the entangling power of sin. Godly repentance keeps you walking in obedience and holiness. Repentance is how you experience “continual salvation” from yourself. It is a continual movement from what used to be to what should be. This kind of living is the central theme of the Christian life.