Note:
The spiritual discipline of solitude is one that bears more fruit the longer one persists in it. (Probably all the disciplines are like that.) The myriad distractions that rise up at first, slowly fade away over time. That opens up more and more space for God’s voice.

Quote:
“Once we have committed ourselves to spending time in solitude, we develop an attentiveness to God’s voice in us. In the beginning, during the first days, weeks, or even months, we may have the feeling that we are simply wasting our time. Time in solitude may at first seem little more than a time in which we are bombarded by thousands of thoughts and feelings that emerge from hidden areas of our mind. … This is the experience of anyone who decides to enter into solitude after a life without much spiritual discipline. At first, the many distractions keep presenting themselves. Later, as they receive less and less attention, they slowly withdraw.” (p. 72-73)

Source: Nouwen, Henri J. M. Making All Things New: An invitation to the Spiritual Life. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1981.