Lyric discussion by atrain 

Cover art for Tension Is a Passing Note lyrics by Sixpence None the Richer

I'm not sure about some other details, but I think the overall meaning of this song has to do with appreciating trials in life... Sixpence None the Richer was a Christian band and many of their songs were written from a Christian worldview... But I think it's saying that tension, or hard times, are to be appreciated because even though it's painful for a season, it leads to something beautiful in the end.