I am a theist, but I am not burdened with this question because I believe both the Energetic God and His energies exist simultaneously. Otherwise, the title of "God" has no meaning if we say at some point God was without His potencies. These individual souls are also a potency/energy of God. Therefore we all exist eternally. When it is spoken of God being alone it is only in reference to the creation of the universe. In the Vedas it explains that the individual souls are in a merged state until the manifestation of the universe. So if we understand that the souls exist always, then it is also reasonable that God creates not for Himself, but because we desire it. Therefore the universe has two purposes: to please the desires of the conditioned souls and to also give them a chance at returning to God's association, which is our constitutional position.