Needed maintenance

If it's a lifter, fix it sooner rather than later. If it gets bad enough it will eat a cam lobe. With that being said, it may go just like it is for a good long time. No way to really tell for sure. Look at it this way, the lifter is already gone, probably. The cam is getting pounded by that lifter, even if just a little. I suppose that you could drive it until it dies, and then put a cam and lifters in it.
I've had lifters that were so bad that 7 of the 16 (International V8) had holes worn through the bottoms, and all had bottoms shaped like cereal bowls. When I drained the oil, big blue metal shavings exited the pan with the oil. I later learned that these were the ancient artifacts of a lost civilization once known to my engine as "cam bearings". Being that I had acquired the vehicle in this sad condition, I opted to rebuild the engine. Not sure of the order of its demise, but I think the bearings were going, causing enough cam slop/wobble to pummel the bottom of the lifters. It had good oil pressure, so I don't believe it was an oil delivery issue. Eh...who knows. Chicken, or the egg? Point is, as @StG58 pointed out, fix it sooner than later. Ugliness happens!
 
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UPDATE

So i was going through the engine bay to find anything that looked worn so i could replace everything that could go out soon. I was down by the oil filter when i heard Jerry start his ticking, and LO AND BEHOLD.... the cam shaft position sensor is the ticking!!! Ordered that up and got the synchronizer and sensor. And the best part is this fits in as to why it feels like the shudder of a missfire AND sounds like the tick from a lifter.
 
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UPDATE

So i was going through the engine bay to find anything that looked worn so i could replace everything that could go out soon. I was down by the oil filter when i heard Jerry start his ticking, and LO AND BEHOLD.... the cam shaft position sensor is the ticking!!! Ordered that up and got the synchronizer and sensor. And the best part is this fits in as to why it feels like the shudder of a missfire AND sounds like the tick from a lifter.
Well, this is good news! I've not had any experience with those before, so I look forward to hearing how this works out for you. Keep us posted. Hope that really is the fix!