What’s a ‘call’ of God? A ‘call’ is a specific task the Lord has an individual fulfill. For many that task will take the rest of their earthly lifetime. For the TC2 individuals I know — they know that their life is not their own and the rest of their lives are ‘in service’ to Him. The call versus just a ‘regular’ common sense Christian life is wide. Once one has a ‘call’ — common sense is no longer the guide of decisions, but by the direction of the Holy Spirit. An accepted call on one’s life will always be there, from when you get up till you put your head down.
Your goals change from self to what would He have you do. Once accepting the call / commission of God the memory of what God has asked / tasked you to do will always be there in your mind. A person will not be able to accept a ‘call’ of God on their lives until the individual has given up in complete surrender to Him. Nothing can be held back, as that would be the attempt of deceiving the Holy Spirit. That doesn’t work out so well for those that try it. (Acts 5:1-11)
Your own ideas of “ministry” and ‘service” as well as your own life will also have to be surrendered to the will of the Lord. All that you hold ‘dear’ will no longer take precedence in your life. Ordinary and reasonable service may actually complete with your surrender to Him. Even our own judgment and common sense will have to be sent aside to the direction of the Spirit of God.
So does God choose people for a call? Actually it’s not like that. Once a person comes to the end of themselves and finally and completely surrenders then they hear the ‘plan’ of God and genuinely volunteer like “Here am I send me.” The Lord never insists His will on anyone. Coming ‘face to face’ with the Spirit of God in His Presence our ears will hear the ‘call’ and plan of God, “Who will We send?” And the completely surrendered individual will answer that question in their perfect freedom with, “Yes I will go, send me.”
Our ability to hear God’s call will depend on the condition of our spiritual ears and our spiritual attitude towards His Lordship in our lives. The reality that many are called but few are chosen has to do with those who have come into intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and asked Him to immerse them in the Holy Spirit and listen moment by moment for His instructions. His ‘call’ to follow Him is to those who are receptive to His Voice. The chosen follow His instructions.
There is somewhat of a mystery to the ‘call’ of God on your life once you’ve accepted it. It’s somewhat beyond human words and it takes on a spiritual / heart knowledge that is difficult to communicate. But the person “knows” the call is real beyond anything they’ve known before. It becomes your / His life… everyday from that point on.