Is it Wrong to Lay Out a Fleece?

Full Q: 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. To read the show notes, click here.