Is it Wrong to Lay Out a Fleece?

A good friend of mine is wrestling with whether to close his business or not. He wants clarity from the Lord on what direction he should go but feels like he is getting silence. The topic came up in our discussion of “laying out a fleece” before the Lord as Gideon did in the book of Judges. We were both stumped, though, and also feeling like that was putting God to the test which we are warned not to do in Exodus 17 when the Israelites tested God at Massah. I tried reading both of these passages in context but still was met with some confusion.

Is it wrong to “lay out a fleece” or is testing God something completely different? God did honor Gideon’s request after all. Also, if we feel like we’re hearing silence from the Lord in a major life decision, what are we missing and what might be the next step in seeking His help? Thanks for your wisdom on this one.

Excerpt From The Answer

When we talk about any decision in life, there’s no fleece to lay out. The fleece story is misapplied and misappropriated to fit a genie narrative. Does God tell us to start a business or close one down? It’s not likely. What does God tell us to do in the Old Testament? We are to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God, (Micah 6:8). He tells all believers to do that. He tells us in the New Testament in countless ways to obey Him, to be faithful, to follow after Christ, to be His disciple. So we have plenty of instructions that are very clear. Whether it’s a big or small decision, Biblical common sense comes into play. Pray about it. That’s a no brainer, but a lot of times we run ahead.  Prayer takes discipline and being quiet before God. 

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