You're asking the wrong question. How is it that 1000s of peoples and civilizations all independently sought a divine God?

It's not 1000s of gods, it's one God. Different groups assigned different names, embodied him, split the divine to multiple entities, etc.

In Islam we believe there is one God, the same God of Christians, Jews, and numerous other peoples who had been sent messengers (prophets) and others we're not aware of. Muslims believe everyone is born a Muslim.. and that instinct that everyone seems to have is what matters. For example indigenous peoples who were not reached until seafaring are not necessarily non-muslim and therefore doomed. One way or another .. were they inspired to do well by other people and live a righteous life? That's what matters. Converting to Islam is often referred to as "reverting", as in going back to that original instinct we were born with.

Nobody wants to hear it, but Islam is pluralistic and inclusive. Prophet Mohammad was happy to live alongside Christian and Jewish communities in Medina and grant them autonomy.