People ask, "Why, why does one have to suffer to find God in the silence?"
Because one is full of idols, there is not enough room in the heart, the intellect, the soul for God.
Imagine if you fell in love with someone. Imagine if you wanted this person to love you. Then, imagine that the only time you saw this person was when you were both with other people; at parties, at meetings, in groups. You would suffer the pain of not being able to speak with that person alone, or just be, or better yet, listen to him speak to you.
All the distractions of the dinners, or parties, or groupings would take away from getting to know that person more intimately. Yes, one would still be in love, but a love thwarted, delayed, perhaps thought unrequited.
So, too, God waits as one talks with other people, as one engages in laughing, eating, moving about the gathering full of self and other people. He waits. God may even remove Himself from the room, and one may wonder where He has gone, and feel the pain of absence.
Sometimes, one has to go and seek Him, looking around the corner of a room, or a quiet place. One might have to wait for the Beloved.
Then, when the room is empty, or in a small corner outside, in a garden, or by a bench apart from others, or even in the darkness of the night outside, God returns. Then, in the emptiness and darkness, one finally hears His voice. The distractions, the idols are gone.
This is why one suffers-to be emptied of idols, sin, imperfections and finally, God comes into the emptiness in order to fill one with love.
See also http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.ie/2013/08/on-constant-quiet-yes-and-constant.html
To be continued....