Hi @theresa4!
In reading this you have stumbled upon one of the major questions Christians disagree about.
Without diving into the full scope of the debate, here is a simple version:
What does John 6:44 mean?
Jesus is saying that people don’t come to God by themselves.
God has to start the process by “drawing” them.
Christians disagree on how God draws people.
The main views (simplified)
1. Calvinist/Reformed: God draws only some people, and those are the ones who will be saved.
- God chooses who to save, not based on their merit but on his will alone.
- Those He chooses will definitely come to Jesus.
- Others are not chosen and stay where they are, in sin and death.
2. Arminian/Wesleyan: God draws everyone, but not everyone responds
- God “draws” all people through grace that comes before faith and everyone can respond.
- People can resist.
- Those who reject grace stay where they are, in sin and death.
3. The Orthodox View: God draws everyone, but drawing works cooperatively
- God draws everyone, but salvation involves human cooperation.
- Humans have freedom to either cooperate with or reject divine grace.
4. The Catholic View: God’s draw is universal, but grace is received differently
- God offers grace to all; actual salvation involves a lifelong cooperation with grace.
- Some receive grace more fully
- Some resist
- Some never fully respond
- Individuals are judged according to how they respond to the amount of light they are given
In any case…
Most Christians believe that everyone is drawn in some way.
John 6:44 simply means God must take the first step, not that He refuses to give people a chance.
To read a long discussion of the question of God calling some or all, see this thread: How does Irresistible Grace allow for free will?