In 2 Corinthians 7, Paul lets the church know that one of the reasons he wrote the letter was the hope that it would give them grief!  He then gives blessings that came from this godly grief:

-It produced repentance in some

-It leads to salvation without regret (as opposed to worldly grief that produces death)

-it produced earnestness

-it produced eagerness to clear oneself

-it produced indignation, fear, longing, and an earnestness for Paul and Timothy that provided comfort to them.

This has an echo of Paul’s first letter (1 Corinthians 11.18-19)  “I hear that there are divisions among you.  And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.”  Paul seems to be saying that the way people act when handling controversy tells a lot about their character.