Jesus prays that the disciples will be consecrated and then sent. Jesus went through the same chain of events Himself (John 10:36). His mission has made a pattern for theirs (and ours). They are not to live aimless lives because they have a commission from the Lord which they must do even as Jesus did His.

John 10:36  what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?

A further example of this is when God consecrated, or set apart, Barnabas and Saul to spread the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 13:1-4). God did the calling of these men — He is the One Who had the work He wanted them to do and then told them so — and He had the church be a part of that consecrating, probably so they would be supporting the two with prayer and financial needs. It is important to note that once Barnabas and Paul had been set apart, they then departed Antioch and did what God called them to do.

Acts 13:1-4  In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.  While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.  The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.

However, the timing of being sent is also entirely up to God and only God. If we go before God calls us, then His power won’t be available to us (Acts 1:4-8), but if we just sit around and enjoy what God has done for us without doing what He has called us to do, then He will either send somebody else, or He will bring pressure on us to do what he originally set us apart for as He did the early church in (Acts 8:1-4).

Acts 1:4-8  On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.”  So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”  He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 8:1-4  And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.  Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.  But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.  Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

What has God called you to do? You must fervently pursue it as much as Jesus pursued His calling. God never sets us apart to sit; He sets us apart to be sent.